Taiwan Elections 2004

One month before the March election, the Asia Society Washington Center, the Brookings Institution and the CSIS Freeman Chair in China Studies jointly convened a luncheon discussion on February 23, 2004, focusing on three major elements of the election: current, on-the-ground developments of the campaign, the broader democratization process on Taiwan, and the implications and perspectives of these developments in mainland China.

Richard Bush

Director, Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies, The Brookings Institution

Larry Diamond

Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution

Shelley Rigger

Brown Associate Professor of Political Science, Davidson College

Bates Gill , moderator

Freeman Chair in China Studies, Center for Strategic and International Studies

The people of Taiwan go to the polls March 20 to elect a president. The main contenders in a close race are incumbent President Chen Shui-bian of the Democratic Progressive Party and the candidate of the Nationalist (KMT) Party, Lien Chan.

In addition, President Chen has announced that two questions will be put to the people in a referendum at the same time as the presidential election: whether Taiwan should increase its anti-missile strength in the event that China does not withdraw its missiles targeted at Taiwan, and whether Taiwan should engage in negotiations with Mainland China on the establishment of a “peace and stability” framework for cross-strait interactions.

The rising tide of Taiwanese nationalism has become a crucial issue in this election, both in the presidential choice and in the referendum.

In this jointly sponsored program, experts on Taiwan, elections and democratization will discuss the implications of the March