Location: The Heritage Foundation's Lehrman Auditorium

Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party suffered major losses in local elections last December. The opposition "Pan-Blue" parties, the Kuomintang and the People's Progress Party, have called this a victory for their national level strategies, particularly their call for a less confrontational policy toward China. But President Chen Shui-bian clearly does not agree, and in his New Year speech signaled a tougher rather than more accommodating cross-strait policy.

Our expert panel will look at the likely effects of the December results, the overall political situation and the opposing policies of President Chen and the Pan-Blue parties, as well as their effect on American interests in the immediate area and the region.