Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Elizabeth Freund Larus

Elizabeth Freund Larus, Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, offered analysis on U.S.-China trade talks to the Indus News program  News Wire with Ayza Omar on October 9. Indus News is an English language Pakistani international news channel. Professor Larus indicated that she did not foresee any breakthroughs in the talks that week in Washington. She indicated that expectations for any agreement on trade were low because Beijing is unwilling to accommodate U.S. demands for structural changes to China’s economic development strategy. She also indicated that the heart of the matter isn’t closing the trade gap but a race for technological supremacy. Whoever controls 5G will be the next world leader.

Her interview begins at 30 minutes into the program at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yenoA4c64TI

Elizabeth Freund Larus, Professor of Political Science and International Affairs

Elizabeth Freund Larus, Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, participated in the Roundtable “Current Events in Cross-Strait Relations” at the 2019 Meeting of the American Association of Chinese Studies at the University of Washington in Seattle, October 4-5. Professor Larus commented on cross-Strait relations as a factor in Taiwan’s 2020 elections.

Elizabeth Freund Larus, Professor of Political Science and International Affairs

Elizabeth Freund Larus, Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, commented on the effect of the Hong Kong protests on the 2020 Taiwan presidential elections. Professor Larus indicated that the “one country, two systems” formula applied to Hong Kong after 1997 was never a popular concept in Taiwan. China originally offered the formula to Taiwan in the 1980s as an incentive to join the mainland. She indicated that it would be political suicide for the Taiwan government, whether it be DPP or KMT, to support it in Taiwan now. She indicated that the response by the HK government to protests against a proposed extradition law there killed any chances of Taiwan accepting the “one country, two systems” formula. Dr. Larus also indicated that the HK protests and the HK government’s response has forced Kaohsiung mayor and KMT presidential candidate to step away from his earlier advocacy of “one country, two systems” and to be more cautious in advocating closer relations with China. She indicated that a crackdown on protesters in HK could also change the political dynamics on Taiwan.