The Chinese's Soft Power in the Indo-Pacific

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, we are joined by Mr. Randall Schriver to discuss Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen’s recent transit of the United States and broader cross-Strait issues. Mr. Schriver explains the context behind President Tsai’s latest transit through the U.S. and what made this transit both in line with prior transits and unique and successful. Mr. Schriver suggests that it is still too early to see the full Chinese response, but concerns about Taiwan’s presidential election next year could cause Beijing to have a muted reaction to Tsai’s transit. Regardless of China’s reaction, he sees the Taiwan-United States relationship continuing to strengthen into the future.

Mr. Randall Schriver is the Chairman of the Board of the Project 2049 Institute and a strategic advisor to Pacific Solutions LLC. He is also a lecturer for Stanford University’s “Stanford-in-Washington” program, is on the Board of Advisors to the Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA, and Board of Directors of the US-Taiwan Business Council. Prior to that, he was a founding partner of Armitage International LLC and Chief Executive Officer and President of the Project 2049 Institute. His civilian government roles have included Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Affairs and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs.