Lei Chen Lecture | Taiwan's Democracy Between the Cracks of Empires

The Lei Chen Democracy and Human Rights Charitable Trust (hereinafter referred to as the "Lei Chen Charitable Trust") is a charitable trust established through negotiations between the government and the family of Mr. Lei Chen, dedicated to consolidating and deepening human rights, the rule of law, and democracy. Since 2009, the Trust has established the "Lei Chen Democracy and Human Rights Memorial Lecture," inviting international figures who have made outstanding achievements in knowledge creation or practical action in the fields of human rights, the rule of law, and democracy to deliver a series of lectures in Taiwan. In 2023, a special lecture series focusing on Taiwan's democratic crises and prospects will be launched, starting from Taiwan's democratic crises and inviting democracies along the First Island Chain to jointly contemplate how democratic development can confront the threats and challenges posed by China.

According to reports by the international organization Freedom House, Taiwan is one of the most democratic countries in Asia. Additionally, the Cato Institute in the United States and the Fraser Institute in Canada recently released the 2022 Human Freedom Index (HFI), ranking Taiwan 14th globally and 1st in Asia among 165 countries and territories. However, Taiwan's democratic development is facing various challenges from both internal and external factors. Internally, apart from the rise of populism leading to increasingly polarized party competition, long-standing divisions over national identity have been exacerbated by the weaponization of social media. Externally, China's aggressive actions against Taiwan are ongoing; aside from persistently using sharp power to infiltrate and interfere with the operation of Taiwan's democratic system and cause internal division within Taiwan, its increasingly aggressive provocations have also undermined regional peace and stability.

Therefore, faced with China's persistent verbal threats and military intimidation, how should Taiwan's democracy defend itself? Furthermore, in response to the growing Chinese threat, how can democracies along the First Island Chain balance national security with liberal democratic systems when confronting this threat? This lecture series attempts to initiate a series of dialogues based on these core questions.

This event invites Wu Jui-jen, Associate Research Fellow at the Institute of Taiwan History, Academia Sinica, to speak on the topic "Taiwan's Democracy Between the Cracks of Empires." He will analyze the unique crises facing Taiwan's democracy in light of the symbiotic yet conflicting relationship between Taiwan's "democracy" and "nation-building," and propose potential solutions. Subsequent sessions will invite experts on Taiwan studies from Japan, South Korea, former Hong Kong, as well as Europe and the United States, to examine the challenges posed by the Chinese threat to democracy from a geopolitical perspective.

Online Registration

Time

Saturday, March 18, 2023, 09:30

Venue

Lin-tze Hall International Conference Hall, College of Law, National Taiwan University
No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Daan Dist., Taipei City

Speakers

Moderator ｜ Ch'en Chün-hung ／ Professor, Department of Political Science, Soochow University
Keynote Speaker ｜ Wu Jui-jen ／ Associate Research Fellow, Institute of Taiwan History, Academia Sinica
Discussant ｜ Ch'en Yü-chieh ／ Assistant Research Fellow, Institute of European and American Studies, Academia Sinica

Schedule

Time	Content
09：00	Welcome
09：30	Opening Remarks
09：40	Remarks by Honored Guests
10：00	Keynote Speech—Taiwan's Democracy Between the Cracks of Empires
11：00	Discussion & Commentary
11：15	Q&A and Response
11：45	End of Lecture

※ Selected exhibits from the Lei Chen Memorial Museum and the "No Such Person: The March 24 Executive Yuan Violent Eviction Incident" exhibition will be displayed on-site.

Organizer

Lei Chen Democracy and Human Rights Charitable Trust

Co-organizers

Center for Public Law, National Taiwan University
Human Rights Committee, Taiwan Bar Association
Human Rights Committee, Taipei Bar Association
Taiwan Association for Human Rights
Judicial Reform Foundation