Relations across the Taiwan Strait: Opportunities and Challenges under New Conditions

In over six years since the inauguration of President Ma Ying-jeou, relations between Taiwan and mainland China have reached unprecedented levels of political, economic, and social exchange. As Ma approaches the end of his term in office and Xi Jinping enters the second year of his, Taipei and Beijing face both opportunities and challenges in enhancing and consolidating cross-Strait relations.

On September 12, the Center for East Asia Policy Studies at Brookings and the Association of Foreign Relations co-hosted a public conference to identify and analyze key opportunities and challenges in cross-Strait relations under new domestic, regional, and global conditions. Leading experts from Taiwan, the United States, and mainland China assessed the current state of cross-Strait relations, analyzed prospects for further development during the remainder of President Ma’s term in office, examined current conditions in mainland China and how they impact mainland China’s approach to Taiwan, and discussed Taipei-Washington-Beijing relations.