PDP Co-Director Dr. William Perry meets with General Xu Caihou, vice-chairman of China's Central Military Commission.

Report of the Strategic Security Issues Delegation to Taiwan and the People's Republic of China (PRC)

Report

June 22 - July 1, 2008

Authors: Dr. William J. Perry, Former Co-Director, Preventive Defense Project, Admiral (ret.) Joseph W. Prueher, Former Senior Advisor, Preventive Defense Project, Ambassador Robert D. Blackwill, International Council Member, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Dr. Ashton B. Carter, Co-Director, Preventive Defense Project (on leave), Harvard & Stanford Universities, Stephen A. Orlins, Dr. David M. Lampton, Kurt M. Campbell, Former Associate Professor of Public Policy and International Relations, 1988-1993, Harvard Kennedy School; Former Assistant Director, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, 1988-1993; and Former Research Fellow, ISP, 1985-1987, Dr. Ashley Tellis, Dr. Evan Medeiros, Jan Berris

Belfer Center Programs or Projects: Preventive Defense Project

Beijing, China -- From June 23-30, 2008, PDP Co-Directors William J. Perry and Ashton B. Carter led a bipartisan civilian/military delegation to Taipei and Beijing to discuss Cross-Strait issues, regional security concerns, and the U.S.-China strategic relationship. The meetings were planned in coordination with the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the China Foundation for International and Strategic Studies (CFISS).

The group met with Taiwan's top leaders, including President Ma Ying-jeou, Vice President Vincent Siew, National Security Council Secretary General Su Chi, Defense Minister Chen Chao-min, Foreign Minister Francisco Ou, Chairperson of the Mainland Affairs Council Lai Shin-yuan, KMT Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung, and DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen. They also met with key Chinese officials at the Central Military Commission, including General Xu Caihou, Major General Chen Xiaogong, and Lieutenant General Ma Xiaotian, as well as President of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) Mr. Chen Yunlin, and Lt. General Liu Chengjun at the Academy of Military Science (AMS).

The PDP delegation continued the discussion of Cross-Strait affairs with mainland Chinese colleagues during a two day workshop held at the Diaoyutai Chinese State Guesthouse in Beijing. This was the ninth meeting of the Track II dialogue, bringing together defense, diplomatic, military, and academic leaders from the United States and China to discuss critical issues in the U.S.-China relationship.

Members of the 2008 PDP delegation included: Secretary William J. Perry, Admiral Joseph Prueher, Ambassador Robert Blackwill, Dr. Ashton B. Carter, Stephen A. Orlins, Hsu Ta-lin, Dr. David Lampton, Dr. Kurt Campbell, Dr. Ashley Tellis, Dr. Evan Medeiros, Jan Berris, Deborah Gordon, and Jennifer Bulkeley.

The full text of the trip report is available below:

For more information about this publication please contact the PDP Associate Director at 617-495-1412.

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