The University of Nottingham's Taiwan Studies Programme presents an online discussion, US-Taiwan Relations under Biden by Prof James Lin, University of Washington
Talk abstract
What can we expect of US-Taiwan relations under President Biden after a tumultuous Trump administration and increasing aggression from China? How will recent changes to the US's Taiwan stance affect long term relations? And how will Taiwan's expectations of US support be affected by the new administration? This discussion will offer a few suggestions on how Biden will approach Taiwan based on a long, historical view of US-Taiwan relations and the structural issues that will define a Biden foreign policy.
Speaker biography
James Lin is a historian of modern Taiwan and Assistant Professor of International Studies at the University of Washington, where he also serves as the Associate Chair of the Taiwan Studies Program. His upcoming book project examines the history of Taiwan’s agrarian development, including its missions to Asia, Africa, and Latin America from the 1950s onward.
Talk refelction by Stephen Sigsworth MSci International Relations and Global Issues, School of Politics and International Relations, University of Nottingham.
On March 18th, the TSP held an online discussion by Professor James Lin from the University of Washington on the contemporary subject matter of US-Taiwan relations under the new Biden administration. Attendees from around the world were first invited to watch Professor Lin delve far and wide into the Trump era of relations; exploring how policy trends may continue or shift under Biden’s presidency. Particular attention was paid to the often-unspoken US reliance upon Taiwanese silicon and how this tight-knit economic relationship shall likely weigh heavier and heavier on US foreign policy moving forward. Many subsequently had questions of their own - which they were then invited to enquire about in a lengthy Q&A section courtesy of Professor Lin. The audience probed with questions regarding potential catalysts for conflict, the impact of Chinese nationalism, and public sentiment within the US itself; all received rich and thought-provoking responses that sparked an engaging discussion which, in turn, made for a highly enjoyable afternoon.