Graduate Institute of East Asian Studies, NCCU

The Graduate Institute of East Asian Studies (hereafter referred to as the "Institute") and the Institute of Chinese Communist Studies magazine co-hosted the "2024 Forum on the Summary of the Situation in Mainland China and Future Development Trends" academic seminar on January 7th at the International Conference Hall on the 5th floor of the Building of Colleges. The even brought together scholars from across the country to engage in in-depth analysis and discussion of various issues, including party and government affairs, economics, society, military, foreign relations, and cross-strait relations in Mainland China. The forum was opened and concluded by Professor Chih-Shian Liou, Director of the Graduate Institute of East Asian Studies.

The first session was chaired by Professor Yen-Lin Chung, a distinguished professor at the Institute. Professor Chih-Shian Liou, also the Director of the Institute, participated in the discussion, along with invited experts: Professor Wen-Hsuan Tsai, a joint appointment professor at the Institute of International Relations and a researcher at the Institute of Political Science, Academia Sinica; Associate Research Fellow and Deputy Director Chia-Hsuan Wu from the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research; and Associate Research Fellow Wei-Feng Tzeng from the Institute of International Relations at our university. They provided their analysis on party and government affairs, economics, and society, presenting a summary of the situation in these areas and an outlook for future trends in 2024. Regarding party and government affairs, it was noted that President Xi Jinping has not faced significant challenges; in terms of the economy, internal issues continue to affect China's economy; and in the social domain, there has been an increase in social crime rates. The speakers' insightful presentations allowed the attendees to gain a more nuanced understanding of the internal developments in Mainland China in 2024.

The second session was chaired by Professor Kun-shuan Chiu, a distinguished professor at the Institute, with Professor Chyungly Lee, a researcher from the Institute of International Relations at our university, as a discussant. The invited speakers were Assistant Professor Ying-Yu Lin from the Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies at Tamkang University, Associate Professor Nien-chung Chang-Liao from the Institute and a research fellow at the Institute of Political Science, Academia Sinica, and Professor Arthur S. Ding, a distinguished professor at the Institute. They discussed military, foreign relations, and cross-strait relations, providing summaries of the current situation in these areas and future trend projections for 2024. On military affairs, they covered changes and reforms in China's military actions; in foreign policy, the shift from "wolf warrior diplomacy" to "panda diplomacy"; and on cross-strait relations, they discussed China's ongoing suppression of Taiwan and its actions in the discourse war. The speakers' excellent presentations also helped the audience gain a clearer understanding of Mainland China's external developments in 2024.

The forum was held near the time when former President Donald Trump was re-elected in the United States, attracting nearly 200 faculty members, students, and people from various sectors, as well as a large audience. The forum not only reviewed the developments in Mainland China's various fields in 2024 and future development trends, but also provided insights from scholars on the interactions between the U.S. and China under the new U.S. President Trump. The audience greatly benefited from the discussion. The forum concluded with engaging presentations from scholars and active participation from the audience during the Q&A session, marking the end of the "2024 Forum on the Summary of the Situation in Mainland China and Future Development Trends." The Graduate Institute of East Asian Studies will continue to organize related events, and faculty and students are encouraged to closely follow announcements regarding future events and lectures.