CSIS

My friends over at Sanba productions are partying again on the 25th. To see the directions on the poster to the right, click on it and visit its Flickr page.++++++++++++SanBa Productions Presents:4/25 Come Help Us Celebrate the Two-Year Anniversary of Join USWhere: Join US - Just a 5 minute walk from the Kaohsiung Train Station.Date: April 25, 2009Time: 6PM-4AMThe Night Will Feature:The Blue Truckers (Kaohsiung's favorite reggae band)Jahson The Scientist (UK via Montserrat)F**k You (Taiwan)DJ Paty (Panama)DJ 2 Hands (UK)$NT 300 Gets you in the door with 1 free beer.$NT 250 with a valid student IDKaohsiung Insider friends get a second free beer. So be sure to sign up.www.sanbaparty.com++++++++++++++CSIS is hosting a conference on the 30th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) on the 22nd. Wish I could be there for the second panel consisting of Romberg, Glaser, Paal, and Shriver.The other interesting thing is that President Ma Ying-jeou will give the keynote speech. By videoconference. Remember two years ago when President Chen Shui-bian of that selfsame nation attempted to videoconference at the National Press Club? The State Department/Bush Administration decided that Chen had violated the ban on official travel to the US, echoing Beijing's objections. At the time I wrote:In other words, officials within the US State Department -- thankfully not the whole State Department -- decided to take the exact position that Beijing had advanced: that pixels containing Chen Shui-bian's image should not be allowed to re-assemble themselves on digital screens inside the territory of the United States, especially when accompanied by audio. This revolutionary interpretation of US policy is indeed a well thought-out position, with powerful implications for YouTube, the world's media, and the major image hosting services -- not to mention US citizens who teleconference to verboten countries (there goes my blog interview with Kim Jung-Il). Does this new assertion that One China means no Presidential teleconferences from Taiwan apply only to real-time audio and video? Or is it a complete ban on all A-bian pix? What about telephone calls? But let's not stop there...what if the National Press Club had sponsored Real-Time Chat With Chen Shui-bian. Would the State Department now be reviewing ways of punishing MSN? Mayhap we can look forward to reading letters like:"Dear Editor:As you know, the President of Taiwan is participating in an online chat with the National Press Club next Saturday. While we respect the right of free speech, the US State Department wishes to remind you that any use of "Orz" directed at the Taiwan Leader in which the "O" is more than 1.5 times the height of the "r" is a violation of the One China policy.Sincerely,Rod BendoverState DepartmentWhat is the State Department going to do when the first 3-D tech comes out? Dear Captain Picard: It has come to our attention that Chen Shui-bian has been appearing on the holodeck....So now I can't wait to hear the complaining from our State Department about pixels and audio containing images of President Ma appearing at CSIS.The CSIS info is below:Dear Colleague:We cordially invite you to "U.S.-Taiwan Relations in a New Era: Looking Forward 30 Years After the Taiwan Relations Act" on Wednesday April 22 from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.We are delighted to announce that President Ma Ying-jeou will deliver the opening address via videoconference. The Honorable Richard Armitage will introduce the President.We are also pleased to have the Honorable Robert Dole deliver the luncheon keynote address.*The two panels will comprise of constructive analysis and critique on the Taiwan Relations Act's relevance today, the effect it has had on U.S.-Taiwan-China relations, and the future of U.S.-Taiwan relations; particularly within the context of the ongoing warming of relations across the Taiwan Strait.We hope you will be able to join us on April 22.Sincerely,Charles W. Freeman IIICSIS Freeman Chair in China StudiesPlease RSVP by clicking here. This invitation is non-transferable. If you have any questions, please contact Savina Rupani at srupani@csis.org or at (202) 457-8719.U.S.-Taiwan Relations in a New Era: Looking Forward 30 Years After the Taiwan Relations ActApril 22, 2009 ~ 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.CSIS, 1800 K St NW, Washington, DC7:45 AM - 8:25 AMRegistration and time to write questions on cards for President Ma. We will pick up cards at 8:20 and would like for everyone to be seated by 8:25 before the videoconference starts.8:30 AM - 9:30 AM President Ma Ying-jeou Videoconference from TaiwanIntroduction: Richard Armitage, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State9:45 AM - 10:45 AM The TRA at Thirty: Serving American Interests Past, Present and FutureChair:Alex Lennon, Editor of Washington Quarterly & Senior Fellow, CSISPanelists:Jacques DeLisle, Stephen A. Cozen Professor of Law, University of Pennsylvania Law SchoolKerry Dumbaugh, Specialist, Asian Affairs, Congressional Research ServiceFrank Jannuzi, Professional Staff Member, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations*11:00 AM - 12:00 PM U.S.-Taiwan Relations: Looking ForwardChair: Bonnie Glaser, Senior Fellow, CSISPanelists:Douglas Paal, VP & Director of China Program, Carnegie Endowment for International PeaceAlan Romberg, Distinguished Fellow, Stimson CenterRandy Schriver, Partner, Armitage International and CSIS Senior Associate12:15 PM - 1:30 PM Luncheon KeynoteSenator Robert Dole, Special Counsel, Alston & Bird**awaiting final confirmation