Tuesday, October 29, 2024 from 12:00PM – 1:30PM (EDT)
In-person and Webcast
Event Description:
The Global Taiwan Institute (GTI) is pleased to invite you to a panel discussion titled “The State of Taiwan: From International Law to Geopolitics.”
Taiwan faces escalating tensions with China, the island’s international legal status and geopolitical significance have become pressing global concerns. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to pursue unification. Meanwhile, Taiwan has emerged as a potential flashpoint for military conflict between China and the United States. Framed around the themes presented in Werner Somers’ latest book The State of Taiwan: From International Law to Geopolitics, this event will connect international legal findings with geopolitics and examine recommended strategies for global democracies.
The event will be held at GTI’s office located at 1836 Jefferson Place NW in Washington DC (approximately one block from the Dupont Circle Metro). Doors will open at 11:30 AM, and the event will begin at 12:00 PM. Light refreshments will be provided. Please direct questions or concerns to Program Manager Adrienne Wu at awu@globaltaiwan.org.
**Media: Please contact Adrienne Wu at awu@globaltaiwan.org if you would like to bring additional crew members or equipment, so that we can be sure to accommodate you.
This program is made possible by the generous donation of The Ou Family Charitable and Education Fund.
The Panelists:
Werner Somers is a Belgian lawyer, politician, and scholar of international law. He currently serves as a lawyer-linguist at the Court of Justice of the European Union and was elected to the Belgian Chamber of Representatives in 2024 as a member of the Vlaams Belang party. Somers holds a PhD in international law from the Open University of the Netherlands and a master’s degree in Germanic philology from Ghent University. As an author and researcher, Somers focuses on the legal and geopolitical complexities surrounding Taiwan. His latest book, The State of Taiwan: From International Law to Geopolitics, offers a comprehensive analysis of Taiwan’s international legal status, its historical context, and its implications for global geopolitics. His work is known for bridging legal scholarship with international relations, providing valuable insights for both policymakers and academics.
Chien-Huei Wu is a distinguished scholar in international economic law and regional integration, currently serving as a research fellow at the Institute of European and American Studies, Academia Sinica. He holds a PhD in Law from the University of Edinburgh and specializes in areas including international trade law, EU law, and the economic relations between the European Union and East Asia. Wu’s research encompasses the legal and political dimensions of global governance, with a particular focus on the intersection of trade, investment, and regional integration. He has published extensively on topics such as the European Union’s trade policies, WTO law, and East Asian economic cooperation. His work is recognized for providing insights into how legal frameworks influence global economic and political relationships, especially between the European Union and East Asia. As a respected academic and speaker, Wu contributes to policy debates and academic discourse on international trade law, economic governance, and regionalism, offering expertise that bridges theoretical understanding with practical implications for global economic policy.
The Moderator:
John Tkacik supplies the International Assessment and Strategy Center’s Asia policy, strategy and military programs with analysis and research from the perspective of a career diplomat. He maintains an international network of experts, conducts briefings for congressional, academic, think tank and military audiences, and has testified before Congress. Tkacik served 24 years in the US State Department as a Foreign Service Officer, with almost 20 years of that working in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and on China/Taiwan affairs in the State Department. During his 1989-94 service as the Deputy US Consul General in Guangzhou (Canton), and later as Chief of China Analysis at the US State Department Office of Intelligence and Research (INR), he received the State Department’s Superior Honor Award and the Intelligence Community’s Exceptional Collector Award. At INR, Tkacik supervised all State Department analysis, coordination and dissemination of China economic, commercial, military, political and strategic intelligence.