2019 West Coast Forum
At a crossroads:US-Taiwan-China relations over the next decade
DATE/Time | August 2 (Friday),
2019 01:30-4:30 p.m.
LOCATION | Spectrum Room, Hilton San Francisco Airport Bayfront
600 Airport Blvd., Burlingame, CA 94010
2019 01:30-4:30 p.m.
LOCATION | Spectrum Room, Hilton San Francisco Airport Bayfront
600 Airport Blvd., Burlingame, CA 94010
Organized by the Grassroots Diplomacy Council (GDC) - TBAA
Co-Sponsored by Taiwan Benevolent Association of America (TBAA)
Agenda
01:30 - 01:40 pm | Opening Remarks
01:40 - 02:40 pm | Keynote Speech
Are stable Taiwan-US and Cross-Strait relations possible?
- Clayton Dube | Director | U.S.-China Institute | University of South California

Clayton Dube 杜克雷 heads the USC U.S.-China Institute (南加大學美中學院). The institute focuses on the multidimensional and evolving U.S.-China relationship and has paid particular attention to developments in Taiwan, holding several symposia on politics and other issues there. Dube was trained as a historian, working on modern Chinese economic history. He lived in China for five years and has visited over sixty times for research, to lead delegations, or to lecture. Dube began visiting Taiwan in 1993 and has led eight groups of researchers and students there. Dube has long been committed to working to inform public discussion of U.S.-China ties. He was associate editor of the academic journal Modern China and editorial director for the online magazines AsiaMedia, Asia Pacific Arts, and US-China Today. He’s produced documentary films, including the institute’s twelve-part Assignment: China series on American reporting on China from the 1940s to today. Dube writes the institute’s Talking Points newsletter. He’s earned teaching awards at three universities.
|
|
|
2:40 - 03:00 pm | Break
3:00 - 4:30 pm | Topical Panel
“Taiwan is not Hong Kong”
- Dennis Hickey | Distinguished Professor | Department of Political Science | Missouri State University
![]() Dr. Dennis Hickey is Distinguished Professor and the James F. Morris Endowed Professor of Political Science at Missouri State University. He is the sole-author of four books and co-editor of three books on East Asian politics. Professor Hickey has also published over fifty scholarly articles and book chapters. In addition, he has contributed dozens of op-ed pieces to newspapers including The China Daily, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune and The Kansas City Star. Dr. Hickey’s most recent publications include, “Hong Kong’s Crisis does Not Extend to Taiwan,” National Interest, July 17, 2019, “What the Latest Opinion Polls Say About Taiwan,” National Interest, March 5, 2019, “Invite President Tsai Before Congress? Not a Wise Move,” The Diplomat, February 12, 2019, “Taiwan Should Return to the 1992 Consensus,” PacNet, Number 78, November 27, 2018, and “The Inconvenient Truth Behind Tsai Ing-wen’s Diplomatic Troubles,” China-US Focus, October 28, 2018.
|
|
“The Competing Path of 2020 Presidential Election of ROC”
- Yinglee Tseng | Research Fellow | National Kaohsiung University of Science & Technology, Republic of China

Dr. Yinglee Tseng is the Managing Director of GDC since 2016 as well as the research fellow with national Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology in Kaohsiung city of Taiwan. She is also the strategy adviser with the Citizens Power Social Enterprise in the Kaohsiung to promote the grassroots activities in public affairs. Now, she has been traveling between the US and Taiwan to promote participatory governance and citizens engagement activities. Dr. Tseng specialized in managing the political and public participation projects and facilitating international relations exchange. Dr. Tseng has abundant experiences of involving the political campaign locally and nationally in Taiwan. Dr. Tseng received a doctoral degree in public administration at the University of Baltimore and dual masters’ degrees in economic law and international trade policies from the George Mason University. Dr. Tseng is a multi-linguist who speaks English and Japanese fluently as well as her native languages Mandarin and Minnan dialect.
|
|
|
“Sino-US Rivalry - A United Front Perspective”
- CHANG, Ching, Ph.D. | Research Fellow | Society for Strategic Studies, Republic of China
CHANG, Ching, Ph.D., is a security expert with more than thirty years practical experiences in national security affairs. Retired with a naval captain rank from the Republic of China Navy, Chang enjoyed his professional service very much. Chang is a graduate of the Chung Cheng Armed Forces Preparatory School class 1979 and commissioned through the Chinese Naval Academy in 1983. Chang has a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a doctorate degree in politics awarded by the University of Hull in England. Ha also graduated from US Naval War College, the Naval Staff College in 1994and the Naval Command College in 1998. Chang is a very active political commentator with unique insight towards the military affairs in Mainland China.
|
|
|
|
|
4:25 - 4:30 pm | Comment & Closing
Q&A
|
|
|
|
|
Common
|
Direction & Parking Instruction
- There is a free shuttle from SFO airport to Hilton.
- The hotel provides $5 special parking rate for the attendees. Please bring the Parking ticket with you for the validation onsite.
- From the East: Take Highway 80 West to Highway 101 South. Proceed Southbound on US Highway 101. Travel past San Francisco Airport to the Broadway/Burlingame Exit. Left turn at first light and travel over the freeway overpass to the other side of the freeway. Go straight at the next light onto Airport Blvd. The hotel is approximately one mile ahead.
- From the North: Proceed Southbound on US Highway 101. Travel past San Francisco Airport to the Broadway/Burlingame Exit. Left turn at first light and travel over the freeway overpass to the other side of the freeway. Go straight at the next light onto Airport Blvd. The hotel is approximately one mile ahead.
- From the South: Travel northbound on US Highway 101. Exit onto Anza Boulevard. Turn right at the traffic light onto Airport Boulevard. The hotel is approximately one quarter mile ahead on the left.
- From the San Francisco International Airport:
- Depart from San Francisco International Airport, CA (1.1 mi.)
- Take ramp left for US-101 South toward San Jose (2.5 mi.)
- At exit 419B, take ramp right and follow signs for Broadway (0.2 mi.)
- Turn left onto Broadway (0.1 mi.)
- Keep straight onto Airport Blvd (1.1 mi.)
- Arrive at Hotel
- Depart from San Francisco International Airport, CA (1.1 mi.)