Annual Oxford Taiwan Studies Conference 2026 | Nissan Institute of Japanese Studies
Conferences
Taiwan and Its Neighbours: Indo-Pacific States in a Changing World Order
The Annual Oxford Taiwan Studies Conference 2026, hosted by the Oxford Taiwan Studies Programme, explores the theme
“Taiwan and Its Neighbours: Indo-Pacific States in a Changing World Order.”
As geopolitical competition intensifies and the regional balance of power continues to evolve, Taiwan’s position has become increasingly central to debates on security, economic interdependence, and technological transformation in the Indo-Pacific.
Bringing together leading scholars and policy experts, the conference situates Taiwan within its wider regional context by examining how neighbouring states—including Japan, South Korea, India, Vietnam, and New Zealand—respond to shifting strategic dynamics. The panels address US–China competition, Northeast Asian security and political economy, and the role of other Indo-Pacific actors in navigating uncertainty and recalibrating their external relations. By foregrounding regional perspectives, the conference aims to deepen understanding of how Taiwan and its neighbours are responding to these changes, and to shed light on emerging patterns of cooperation, competition, and alignment across the Indo-Pacific.
Thursday, 14 May 2026, 10:00–17:30 BST
Week 3, Trinity Term 2026
Nissan Lecture Theatre, St Antony's College, University of Oxford
Programme
(Names listed in order of presentation)
10:00–10:30 Registration and Coffee
10:30–10:40 Welcome Remarks
• Prof Diego Sánchez-Ancochea (Head, Oxford School of Global and Area Studies [OSGA] and Professor of the Political Economy of Development, University of Oxford)
• Mr Cheu-an Andy Bi (Director, Education Division, Taipei Representative Office in the UK)
10:40–12:10 [Panel One] US–China Competition and Taiwan in the Indo-Pacific
Chair: Prof Rosemary Foot (Emeritus Professor and Senior Research Fellow, Department of Politics and International Relations [DPIR], University of Oxford)
Panellists:
• Prof Michael Cox (Emeritus Professor, Department of International Relations, The London School of Economics and Political Science [LSE])
• Prof Chung-min Tsai (Professor, Department of Political Science, National Chengchi University; President, Taiwanese Political Science Association)
• Dr Chun-yi Lee (Associate Professor, School of Politics and International Relations; Director, Taiwan Research Hub, University of Nottingham)
12:10–13:50 Lunch Break
13:50–15:20 [Panel Two] Northeast Asia Theatre: Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea
Chair: Prof Todd Hall (Director, University of Oxford China Centre and Professor of International Relations, DPIR, University of Oxford)
Panellists:
• Dr Wrenn Yennie Lindgren (Senior Research Fellow and Head, Center for Asian Research, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs [NUPI])
• Prof Yeh-chung Lu (Dean, College of International Affairs and Professor, Department of Diplomacy, National Chengchi University; Vice President, Taiwan Foundation for Democracy)
• Dr Sohyun Zoe Lee (Lecturer, School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics, Queen’s University Belfast)
15:20–15:50 Coffee Break
15:50–17:20 [Panel Three] Other Indo-Pacific States: India, Vietnam, and New Zealand
Chair: Dr Bo-jiun Jing (Senior Research Fellow and Programme Manager, Oxford Taiwan Studies Programme, OSGA, University of Oxford)
Panellists:
• Dr Jagannath Panda (Head, Stockholm Center for South Asian and Indo-Pacific Affairs and Executive Editor, Institute for Security and Development Policy [ISDP])
• Dr Robyn Klingler-Vidra (Vice Dean of Global Engagement and Reader in Political Economy and Entrepreneurship, King’s Business School, King’s College London)
• Prof Alex Tan (Associate Dean for Research, Faculty of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences and Professor of Political Science, University of Canterbury)
17:20–17:30 Closing Remarks
• Prof Rachel Murphy (Professor of Chinese Development and Society, OSGA, University of Oxford)
Information Source: Oxford Taiwan Studies Programme | eventbrite