The Liu Institute collaborated in significant off-campus events in London and Washington, DC, during the 2019-20 academic year. The events and collaborations with Notre Dame units and outside organizations were so successful that future events are expected for both cities.
LONDON
Former Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou addressed an audience of 100 at Notre Dame’s London Global Gateway on October 30. In a keynote address titled “Cross-Strait Relations,” Ma reflected on the history between Mainland China and Taiwan during his time as president, from 2008 to 2016, and his contribution toward the progress of peaceful relations, including his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“The meeting was very important, as it showed the whole world that talks between the two sides through peaceful means is possible,” Ma said.
The London event was the second time the Liu Institute hosted Ma. He was the keynote speaker at the Institute’s 2016 Asia Leadership Forum.
Ma’s appearance in London was sponsored by the Liu Institute, the SOAS China Institute, and Notre Dame International. Liu Institute benefactor Robert Liu and director Michel Hockx attended the event.
WASHINGTON, DC
Randall Schriver, former assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs for the US Department of Defense, delivered the keynote at “Beyond the Ballot: Taiwan’s Elections and Their Implications for US Policy.” Hosted by the Liu Institute, the event was held at the Keough School’s Washington Office on January 16, just days after Taiwanse voters handed President Tsai Ing-wen a landslide victory.
“Democracy is not an endpoint; it’s not an accomplishment,” Schriver said, praising the Taiwanese elections, especially during a turbulent year in Chinese politics. “It’s a journey, it’s an experiment, and these elections are very key to sustaining that great journey and experiment.”
The event also featured a panel discussion moderated by Axios China reporter Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian. Panelists were Russell Hsiao, executive director of the Global Taiwan Institute; Tiffany Ma, senior director of BowerGroupAsia; Sean King ’99 MBA, senior vice president of Park Strategies LLC and a Liu Institute affiliated scholar; and Joshua Eisenman, associate professor of Global Affairs at the Keough School and a Liu Institute faculty fellow. Michel Hockx, Liu Institute director, introduced Schriver.
The capacity audience included international media representatives, policy experts, students, and alumni.