Tue February, 2021, Age: 3 years
Former Taiwanese justice minister Chiu Tai-san has taken the helm of Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council. His appointment is viewed as an effort to assuage tensions with China. Chiu is known for a moderate approach with mainland China compared to Taiwan’s governing pro-independence party. At a ceremony marking the beginning of his tenure, Chiu remarked that the MAC would “make preparations and assessments to map out new policies and strategies [for dealing with Beijing].” He continued, “If political exchanges are too sensitive and there is not enough mutual trust, we can always start with non-political, economic, social and cultural exchanges to build up mutual trust before taking on higher-level issues.” The pivot to Chiu’s leadership is viewed by some as a response to President Biden’s election and the expectation that he would not continue or condone the abrasive China strategy of the Trump administration.