Interaction with a Taiwanese Delegation

The Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) held an informal closed-door interaction with a visiting delegation from a Taiwan-based Cross-Strait Interflow Prospect Foundation at its premises on 18 November 2011. The delegation was led by Mr. Kuang-Chung Liu, President Prospect Foundation and comprised four other members including Ms Migonne Chan, Executive Director, Taiwan Institute of Economic Research, Chinese Taipei APEC Study Center and Prof Tuang Y. Cheng, National Chengchi University Taiwan, R.O.C. The Taiwanese delegation was welcomed by General NC Vij, a former Chief of the Indian Army, who briefed them on the various activities of VIF besides providing them with an Indian perspective on the security dynamics in the Asia-Pacific region. Besides General Vij, Mr. Sushant Sareen, Shri RNP Singh, Prof. Makkhan Lal, Mr Sanjay Kumar, Mr. Anirban Ganguly, Mr. Manoharan and Ms Neha Mehta were part of the team that interacted with the Taiwanese delegation.

The interaction focused, inter alia, on the security dynamics in the Asia-Pacfic region against the backdrop of an increasingly assertive China, cross-strait relations between Mainland China and Taiwan, and the prospects for an improved relationship between India and Taiwan. Complimenting the VIF for its innovative ideas and thoughts, Mr. Kuang-Chung Liu sought an expanded cooperation between the two institutions. He also opined that Asia’s rising prominence, primarily due to economic reasons, had significantly altered the dynamics of security in the region. He also alluded that much of the volatility in the region could be ascribed to the increasing competition amongst nations for the region’s abundance in energy resources and the sea routes for international trade. He also maintained that India was in a position to play a stabilizing role in the Asia-Pacific region due to its fast rising status as a major power. General vij, on his part, said that he valued the Taiwanese perspective. The Taiwanese side however stressed that R.O.C. needs to be part of any regional dialogue on the security of Asia-Pacific. Bilateral cooperation between India and Taiwan however remained the prime focus at the interaction. Information technology and academic and cultural exchanges between the two countries were amongst a few areas identified for cooperation between India and Taiwan.