““I have met so many Taiwan people before,
but this time I feel I finally understand them””
"Strait Talk is a brilliant and creative idea"
— Ambassador Richard Holbrooke
“Strait Talk takes its place as one of the longest running interactive engagements in the field of conflict resolution.”
— Ronald J. Fisher, Ph.D.
Recognition
Testimonies from Past Delegates
“It is not the kind of conference where everyone discusses what he or she already knows. Through Interactive Conflict Resolution sessions, panels, and friendship building with people from different backgrounds, I found myself transformed. I now see the world differently. I am surprised by my own transformation. I never thought that I could be able to reasonably talk with people from mainland, let alone forming a consensus document. … Strait Talk brings people together, people who did not necessarily share the same beliefs at first, but we were all deeply inspired by each other on many different levels and discovered a fairly simple common goal—we want peace.” — Taiwan Delegate, ST Brown 2010
“Dilemmas can be solved if we ask the right questions.”
“The structure of the conference helped me gain the [self-]assuredness to voice my opinions among my peers and speak with a confidence that I had lacked before. The symposium empowered us with the tools to pave a more definite path for our goals and visions. We were strengthened through each other, through shared hopes and mutual support.” — United States Delegate, ST Brown 2010
A more comprehensive list of delegate testimonials can be found here.
Our programs have featured prominent leaders from across the fields of politics, policy research, scholarship, business, media, activism, and more. Here are just a few examples:
PAST SPEAKERS
Dr. Wu Xinbo
Dr. Wu Xinbo (吴心伯) is Dean of the Institute of International Studies, Director of the Center for American Studies, and a Professor at Fudan University. He is one of China’s leading experts on Sino-U.S. relations and the United States’ foreign policy in the Asia-Pacific.
DR. Yu-Shan Wu
Dr. Yu-Shan Wu (吳玉山) is Distinguished Research Fellow and the first director of the Institute of Political Science at Academia Sinica in Taiwan, as well as a jointly appointed professor at National Taiwan University. As a scholar at Academia Sinica, Dr. Wu is a leading figure in the study of international and cross-Strait relations, comparative transition of former socialist countries, and constitutional engineering in nascent democracies.
AMB. JAMES LILLEY
Ambassador James Lilley was one of the leading American diplomats of his time. His long engagement with people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait—born in Qingdao, China, he served as both the United States Ambassador to China and as the Director of the American Institute in Taiwan—placed him at the center of the cross-Strait dispute and made him one of the leading experts on the topic in the United States.
Mr. Lop Poon Yau
Mr. Lop Poon Yau (邱立本) is the Editor-in-Chief of Asia Weekly (亞洲周刊) in Hong Kong. An eminent journalist in the Greater China region, he has extensive experience working in Taiwan, the United States, and Hong Kong, and was selected by Chinese netizens as one of the Top 100 Public Intellectuals in 2006 and 2008.
A more comprehensive list of individuals who have spoken at Strait Talk symposia can be found here.