Please join the CSIS China Power Project, Freeman Chair in China Studies, and Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics on February 11 for a special discussion on the methods and impact of PRC interference in Taiwan’s recent presidential and legislative elections. The event will feature a keynote and Q&A with Audrey Tang, Taiwan’s Digital Minister, and a panel discussion featuring Puma Shen of National Taipei University and Nick Monaco of the Institute for the Future. China Power Project director Bonnie Glaser and Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette will serve in commentator and moderator roles.

AGENDA
 

9:00 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks
Jude Blanchette, Freeman Chair in China Studies, CSIS

9:15 a.m. Keynote Address and Q&A
, Audrey TangDigital Minister, Taiwan

Q&A Moderator:
Bonnie S. Glaser, Director, China Power Project and Senior Adviser for Asia, CSIS

10:00 a.m. Panel Discussion: Methods and Impact of PRC Interference in Taiwan’s Elections
Panelist 1: Puma Shen, Associate Professor of Criminology, National Taipei University
Panelist 2: Nick Monaco, Research Director, Digital Intelligence Lab, Institute for the Future

Commentator: Bonnie S. Glaser

10:45 a.m. Panelists Q&A
Moderator: Jude Blanchette 

11:30 a.m. Event End 

This event is funded with support from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in the United States.

In the United States, there is a sense of "Afghanistan fatigue." While there are certainly valid criticisms that can be levied against U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, a significant amount of social, economic, political, and public health progress has resulted from our engagement and Afghans' own hard work and commitment.

The under-five mortality and maternal mortality rates have nearly halved since 2000. Virtually no one in Afghanistan had electricity in 2000, but by 2016, nearly 85 percent of the population did. Women's education was practically non-existent under Taliban rule, but 3.5 million Afghan women are now enrolled in school. 170 radio stations, hundreds of print media outlets, and dozens of TV stations have opened since 2001 as free media, cell phones, television, and the internet have transformed Afghan society. GDP per capita has tripled since 2001, and official development assistance (ODA) as a percentage of central government expenditure decreased from 206 percent in 2006 to 59 percent in 2015. The Afghan National Army is now the primary group fighting the Taliban, and U.S. troop presence has dropped from 110,000 in 2011 to the current plan of 8,600. But Afghanistan's political progress and social gains are at risk of collapse if the United States chooses to completely disengage from the country. Given the mix of gains and disappointments, how do we establish the correct framework for U.S. engagement with a transitioning Afghanistan in 2020 and beyond?

This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.

As the world becomes increasingly urban and digital, smart cities are emerging as ground-zero for new approaches to development and governance. On Thursday, January 23rd, CSIS will convene a diverse panel of experts to distinguish between leading smart city models and discuss how their technologies, including in the areas of public safety and surveillance, are impacting the power of citizens, governments, and corporations, both within and between countries. 

Featuring keynote remarks by:
Dr. Sokwoo Rhee, Associate Director for Cyber-Physical Systems Innovation, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

A presentation by:
Jonathan E. Hillman, Director of the Reconnecting Asia Project and Senior Fellow of the Simon Chair in Political Economy, CSIS

And a panel discussion with: 
Dr. Sheena Chestnut Greitens, Assistant Professor, University of Missouri
Michelle Holland, Director of Consulting & Deals, PwC Canada and former Chief Advocate for the Innovation Economy, City of Toronto
Abha Joshi-Ghani, Senior Adviser, World Bank
Michael Sherwood, Director of Technology and Innovation, City of Las Vegas

Moderated by: 
Peter Raymond, Senior Associate, CSIS

By: Bonnie S. Glaser

This episode explores the key challenges and opportunities in the China-Czech bilateral relationship. Our guest, Dr. Richard Turcsányi, describes the impact of the recent cancellation of the sister city agreement between Prague and Beijing as well as divergent views on China within the Czech government. He also addresses the economic and cultural factors that impact public opinion on China in the Czech Republic, and assesses the drivers of Chinese investment in the country.

Dr. Richard Turcsányi is a Key Researcher at Palacky University and Assistant Professor at Mendel University, both in the Czech Republic. Dr. Turcsányi is also a Program Director at the Central European Institute of Asian Studies, an independent think tank with branches in Bratislava, Olomouc, and Vienna. In his academic research, he focuses on Chinese foreign policy and China’s relations with Central and Eastern Europe.

Please join us on Tuesday, December 3 for a public event focused on Sustainable Development Goal #1, which aims to decrease poverty and ensure social protections for the poor and vulnerable, increase access to basic needs and services, and support people harmed by natural disasters and other extreme events.

Predictions suggest that 6 percent of the world population will still live in extreme poverty in 2030. People who live in extreme poverty face deprivation from social goods and services, and often live in areas where poverty is exacerbated by conflict or natural disasters. Through Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #1, the United Nations seeks to end extreme poverty, measured as people living under $1.25 a day, by ensuring all people have access to economic resources, reducing the poor’s vulnerability to climate disasters and other shocks, and implementing national social protection systems and measures for all. Despite many countries including social protections within their government spending, these programs need to be brought to scale. Although the number of people living in poverty has decreased since 2015, the rate of poverty reduction is slowing and ultimately means the world will miss the United Nations target of less than 3 percent.

This event is part of the "Chevron Forum for Development" series focused on the SDGs and made possible with general support from Chevron. So far, we have hosted events focused on SDG#7: Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG#16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, SDG#17: Partnerships for the Goals, and SDG#11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. Our most recent event was focused on SDG#4: Quality Education.

By: Bonnie S. Glaser

This episode explores China's retaliatory actions against the NBA after a recent incident, as well as the larger questions surrounding the Chinese government’s treatment of foreign private companies. Our guest, Dr. Victor Cha, discusses how both US and Chinese audiences have reacted to the NBA controversy and weighs in on whether Chinese public opinion might sway Beijing’s handling of the incident. Dr. Cha also addresses the struggles that other foreign companies have faced in China and how Beijing uses “predatory liberalism” to serve its political interests.

Dr. Victor Cha is a senior adviser and holds the Korea Chair at CSIS. He is also a Professor of Government and the holder of the D.S. Song-KF Chair in the Department of Government and the School of Foreign Service (SFS) at Georgetown University. In July 2019, he was appointed Vice Dean for Faculty and Graduate Affairs in the SFS. His article, “Flagrant Foul: China’s Predatory Liberalism and the NBA,” will appear in the December issue of the Washington Quarterly.

Please join CSIS for an armchair discussion with the First Lady of Afghanistan Rula Ghani. The conversation will focus on the progress of women and their role in the peace process in Afghanistan.
 
Women have made great economic and social strides in the past 15 years. More than 3.6 million girls are in school and women are now allowed to work, both of which are essential to peace and stability in Afghanistan. However, the work is not over. It is vital that the progress continues and that women are not forgotten in the search for peace.
 
We are pleased to host the First Lady of Afghanistan Rula Ghani, who has been a champion on these issues. Mrs. Ghani plays an active role as first lady, supporting efforts to fully integrate women and girls into Afghan society and into the workforce. In May 2016, she brought together prominent Afghan women from Kabul and gave them a platform to discuss women’s roles in contributing to peace. She held another symposium in 2017 to discuss the role of Afghan women as messengers of peace.
 
This event is made possible by general support to CSIS.
 

In this episode of Russian Roulette, Jeff sits down with Anthony Bowyer, Programmatic and Research Advisor, Europe and Eurasia at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES). They discuss President Mirziyoyev’s reform program in Uzbekistan and how the country has changed, including its parties and elections, and what has remained constant.

You can find Anthony Bowyer’s bio here: https://www.ifes.org/people/anthony-bowyer. You can read his paper “Political Reform in Mirziyoyev's Uzbekistan: Elections, Political Parties and Civil Society” here: https://www.silkroadstudies.org/publications/silkroad-papers-and-monographs/item/13284-political-reform-in-mirziyoyevs-uzbekistan-elections-political-parties-and-civil-society.html

We want more mail! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email [email protected] and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.