Taiwan and the Status Quo in Interesting Times: The Iran war, Cheng Li-wun’s visit to Beijing, Lai’s Africa trip, and an upcoming U.S.–PRC summit

Thursday, 7 May 2026, 12pm to 1pm

This seminar will survey recent global developments that may have a significant bearing on cross-Strait stability: the Iran war; Cheng Li-wun’s visit to Beijing; President Lai’s once-cancelled but ultimately successful Africa trip; and the upcoming U.S.–PRC summit. The remarks will offer a diplomatic perspective on the likely impact of these developments—both positive and negative—on cross-Strait relations. This analysis draws on Ambassador Hennessey-Niland’s 35-year career with the U.S. government, with a particular focus on the Indo-Pacific region. The talk will conclude with a discussion of the current Taiwan–PRC status quo and its future evolution.
 
Ambassador John T. Hennessey-Niland was the first U.S. ambassador to visit Taiwan since the adoption of the “One China” policy and is a former U.S. Ambassador to Palau. He served as a career diplomat for over 35 years and was one of the most experienced Indo-Pacific experts in the Department of State. He has worked at the White House on the United States National Security Council, with the United Nations, and held multiple assignments in the Pacific, including in Fiji, Australia, and Hawaii, where he served as foreign policy advisor to the Commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific. He is currently the Director of the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University. He is also a Senior Fellow at the National Defense University Joint Staff College, an Adjunct Fellow at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, and a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
 
The seminar will be hosted by Dr Bo-jiun Jing, Senior Research Fellow and Programme Manager in Taiwan Studies at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies, and is held in partnership with St Antony’s International Review (STAIR).

Speaker(s): Ambassador John T. Hennessey-Niland (Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs, Texas A&M University)

Series: Oxford Taiwan Studies Seminar Series

Venue: Dickson Poon Building, Oxford China Centre - Ho Tim Seminar Room (first floor) - Ho Tim Seminar Room Dickson Poon Building, Oxford China Centre Canterbury Road Oxford Oxfordshire OX2 6LU United Kingdom

Department: Oxford School of Global and Area Studies (Department)

Organiser: Dr Bo-jiun Jing

Host: Dr Bo-jiun Jing

Register here: https://Taiwan_Seminar_Amb_John_Hennessey-Niland.eventbrite.co.uk