A two member delegation from Taiwan’s National Defence University comprising of Dr. Shen, Ming-Shih, Director War College of NDU and Col. Chen, Yeng Chuan interacted with the VIF faculty on 28 November 2016. While Dr. Shen spoke on ‘Chinese Communist Party’s 19th Party Congress and Power Succession’ Col. Chen explained ‘PLA Rocket Army and Military Transformation’.
Brig. Vinod Anand welcomed the Taiwanese delegations and recounted the recent visit of the VIF’s delegation to Taipei and where they had met a number of high level officials and forged mutual cooperation with Prospects Foundation. He dwelt briefly on the Indo-Taiwanese relations and how the new government led by Mrs. Tsai Ing-wen was pushing its relations with India.
Dr. Shen explained the intricacies and implications of President Xi Jinping being declared as the ‘Core leader’. He also dwelt on the nuances of competition between various factions of the Chinese Communist Party and how Xi Jinping was promoting his faction’s people with a view to consolidate his power. In his view Xi is working towards getting a third tenure and the possibility of his becoming ‘president’ a la what was done by President Putin. Col Chen elaborated on PLA Rocket Force, recent changes in command and control and its implications. In the interactive session questions on China’s CMC, political leanings of various military and civil members of CMA and changes in PLA’s structure were asked.
Both the NDU delegation and the VIF side expressed desire to continue mutual exchanges and interact further on the above issues and other issues of mutual concern.