Renowned American Sinologist Dr. Andrew Nathan, Professor at Columbia University, yesterday the 14th visited Mayor Hou, Yu-Ih at the New Taipei City Government, to discuss the current Cross-Straits status quo, and share views on US, China and Taiwan trilateral relations. Mayor Hou reiterated that if he should be elected President, he will adhere to the constitutional position of the Republic of China, and restart robust, pragmatic channels for dialogue and cooperation with the mainland, while maintaining the status quo and reducing Cross-Straits tensions.




Professor Andrew J. Nathan has studied Chinese issues for over half a century now, and was invited by the Taipei Forum Foundation to deliver remarks on the 16th on the topic of Deterring the Conflict in the Taiwan Strait, aiming to elucidate hopes for practical measures to resolve Taiwan Straits security concerns. The Columbia Alumni Association of Taiwan, held a special evening banquet for this distinguished expert on the night of the 14th at the New Taipei City Hall, with Mayor Hou, Yu-Ih, and prior the two shared a private discussion for an hour prior to the event, discussing their respective observations and perspectives on Cross-Straits and US, China and Taiwan trilateral relations.




Prof. Nathan noted that presently, the Chinese mainland are adopting a policy course of strategic patience toward the Taiwan issue, and he has observed that President Xi Jin-Ping appears to be a “careful adventurer”, as seen from Chinese activities in the South China Sea and Diaoyutai islands, it is clear that Xi does not intend to merely adopt a wait and see approach to Cross Straits issues.


Mayor Hou expressed his concern that Taiwan’s greatest current threat stems from the unwillingness of the government to engage in a constructive dialogue with the mainland, aiming to improve Cross-Straits relations, and avoiding any reduction in the degree of the mainland’s strategic patience, resulting in any increase of adventuresome motivations. Mayor Hou explained that the greatest common denominator among all in Taiwan is the shared commitment to the Constitutional order of the Republic of China. So he is committed to deploying pragmatic Cross Straits relations on the basis of dialogue and exchange consistent with the Constitution, aiming to restore Cross Straits mutual trust and cooperation, thereby reducing the current state of heightened tensions, to contribute to Taiwan Straits and regional stability, while advancing the cause of promoting the ultimate welfare of the people in Taiwan.

Prof. Nathan earned his doctorate in 1971 in Political Science, under Prof. John King Fairbank, the founder of the John King Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, and has been a Professor at Columbia University ever since. During this esteemed visit of Prof. Nathan with Mayor Hou, besides accompaniment of Yao, Ching-Yu, Director General of the Secretariat, Dr. Lu, Yeh-Chung, Chairperson, Association of International Relations (R.O.C.), and Professor, Department of Diplomacy, National Chengchi University, and Prof. Tso, Chen-Dong, Department of Political Science, National Taiwan University, also engaged in the international interlocution among the distinguished international relations experts present.
 

Competent Authority: Secretariat