January 6, 2004

More than 30 scholars and experts on East Asian affairs attended a conference on stability and change across the Taiwan Strait at Duke University.  

The conference, held on January 31, 2004, was organized by the Duke Universityˇ¦s program in Asian Security Studies. Among those in attendance were Director-General R.C. Wu and Senior Consular Officer Bill Huang, both of TECO-Atlanta. 

Much of the conference focused on the ˇ§triangular relationsˇ¨ among Taiwan, the U.S. and Mainland China and its security significance for East Asia. 

The upcoming ROC Presidential election and the peace referendum on March 20 were a subject of intense discussion. Mr. Wu explained that the referendum is a natural part of Taiwan's democratization process. The March 20 peace referendum aims at protecting Taiwan freedom and democracy from any attempt by Mainland China to unilaterally change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait by military means. The 23 million people in Taiwan are entitled to freely determine their future without coercion, he added. 

Mr. Wu was also invited to deliver a keynote speech at the conference's dinner reception. He briefed the attendees about recent political and economic development in Taiwan.