March 17, 2014
Mac News Release No. 031
In order to discuss the policy direction of Mainland’s new generation of leaders and to explore the prospects for internal and external developments in the Mainland and their potential affect on cross-strait relations, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) entrusted National Chengchi University (NCCU) to hold an international symposium entitled "Mainland China's Reform and Transition? The Opportunities and Challenges of the Xi-Li Administration" on March 18 and 19 2014. During the symposium, participating scholars and experts from Taiwan and abroad discussed transitional developments in the Mainland and the future impacts they may bring.
The MAC stated that the symposium was joined by both domestic and international renowned experts and scholars of Mainland studies, including Director David M. Lampton of China Studies at Johns Hopkins University, Distinguished Fellow Thomas Fingar of Stanford University, Senior Fellow Nicholas R. Lardy of Peterson Institute for International Economics, Professor David Goodman at University of Sydney, Professor Barry Naughton and Tai Ming Cheung at University of California in San Diego, Professor Gunter Shubert at University of Tübingen, Visiting Professor Linda Jakobson at University of Sydney, Associate Professor Andrew Mertha of Cornell University, Fellow Tabitha Grace Mallory at Princeton-Harvard China and the World Program, and Professor Kellee S. Tsai at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. The participants broadly explored and assessed a range of issues related to the Mainland's "Foreign Policy and Security," "Bureaucratic and Systemic Innovation," "State, Market and Social Transformation," "Local Governance and Innovation," and "Political and Economic Transformation and Local Government," as well as the "Impact of Transformations in Mainland China on Cross-Strait Relations." MAC Deputy Minister Lin Chu-chia also presented a keynote speech upon invitation to the symposium on the topic of "Opening up New Prospects for Cross-Strait Peace and Prosperity."
The MAC further noted that the direction of reform in the Mainland is a topic of broad attention, particularly with respect to the impact of policies under the administration of Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang on the Mainland’s internal developments, Taiwan Strait security situation, and Asia Pacific regional stability. It is hoped that through this international symposium, views from all sectors within Taiwan and abroad could be collated. Through such, the MAC may gain deeper understanding and fully grasp transformations and development trends in the Mainland from the perspectives of its foreign development strategy, internal transformation and innovation, and thus provide as a reference to the government in the formulation of Mainland policy and handling of cross-strait issues.