UW Now - Isthmus
Aug 10, 2022
Following House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s recent visit to Taiwan, tensions between China, Taiwan, and the U.S. have intensified.
Following House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s recent visit to Taiwan, tensions between China, Taiwan, and the U.S. have intensified. Just this past weekend, Taiwan says it detected “multiple” Chinese aircraft and naval vessels taking part in military drills around the Taiwan Strait, in what could be a possible simulated attack against the island.
On the next UW Now Livestream, UW experts will explore Taiwan’s central role in the semiconductor industry and its economic and strategic importance to the world. Could this standoff threaten the technology sector and deliver another blow to the global economy? If computer chips made in Taiwan were no longer exported, what would be the impact on Western and Chinese companies and consumers? What role do Taiwanese semiconductors play in U.S. national security? Is Taiwan inevitably going to be governed by the People’s Republic of China, or can it remain autonomous? How can this issue be navigated to minimize the economic and human fallout?
This presentation will be moderated by Mike Knetter, president of the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association.
Our featured guests:
Mike Splinter is the chairman of NASDAQ and general partner at WISC Partners. He is the former chairman and CEO of Applied Materials, a multibillion-dollar global supplier of semiconductor equipment. An engineer and technologist, Splinter is a 40-year veteran of the semiconductor industry. He is a former member of the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association board. He is also chairman of the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council.
Alan Yeung is a professor at UW–Madison. An alumnus of the College of Engineering, Yeung recently joined his alma mater to help the UW further develop best practices in entrepreneurship. Part of his work is to help bring UW–Madison’s world-class research to market more quickly and successfully. Yeung is formerly Foxconn’s U.S. director of strategic initiatives, president of FEWI Development Corporation, and a top executive in North America. Experienced with emerging tech startups as well as multibillion-dollar international ventures, Yeung has served as a senior executive throughout Silicon Valley and the Asian Pacific markets, including Taiwan and Mainland China.
Jon Pevehouse is the Vilas Distinguished Professor of Political Science: International Relations at UW–Madison. His research interests lie in international relations, international political economy, American foreign policy, international organizations, and political methodology. His work examines the relationship between domestic and international politics. He is the coauthor, with Joshua Goldstein, of “International Relations,” the leading textbook on international politics. From 2012 to 2017, he was the editor of International Organization, the leading journal in the field of international relations.
