ECCT Central Taiwan Committee Event Jointly Hosted with ICRT & AmCham Taichung
November 2018 Municipal Election Preview

Panellists

Eryk Michael Smith, Media Consultant
Courtney Donovan Smith, Publisher, Compass Magazine
Dr. Albert Chiu, Associate Professor of Political Science, Tunghai University / 東海大學政治系邱師儀副教授

Moderator
Gavin Phipps, ICRT News Department

12:00-14:00, Tuesday, 30 October, 2018
The Landis Taichung 27F / 台中亞緻大飯店 (27F)
No 532 Ying-Tsai Rd, Taichung 403 Taiwan /台中市西區英才路532號

Metropolitan elections will be held on Saturday, 24 November 2018, to elect the municipal mayors, municipal councilors and ward chiefs across Taiwan, including the six special municipalities or megacities (Taipei, Kaohsiung, New Taipei, Taichung, Tainan and Taoyuan). Ahead of the election, the ECCT, together with International Community Radio Taipei (ICRT) will be hosting a panel of high profile experts for a special election preview event. Panelists will discuss and analyse the various races, the candidates, their election prospects and the implications for the political climate, business and trade, depending on the outcome. Given that the guests have very different opinions and are all very outspoken, it promises to be an interesting and entertaining discussion.

Among other subjects, our panelists will discuss:
• The mayoral candidates and their election prospects.
• What has changed since the presidential and legislative elections in 2016 and the last mayoral elections in 2014?
• What are support levels for the traditional pan-green and pan-blue camps? Is there any sign of movement outside the main camps towards the formation of a third force?
• The implications of a change in the status quo for business and trade should the KMT retake any of the races in northern or central Taiwan.
• Will Taiwan be affected by a looming US-China trade war? If so, how?
• What business opportunities can we look forward to after the election? What opportunities are there for European business related to the government’s infrastructure development and 5+2 industry development plans?

About the panellists

Courtney Donovan Smith is a publisher of the Compass Magazine, current chairman of the Taichung American Chamber of Commerce, the Central Taiwan correspondent for ICRT Radio, the founder of the popular Taiwan News in English Facebook group and is an organizer of rock festivals including the Compass Food and Music Festival. He follows Taiwan, especialy central Taiwan politics, very closely, and writes often on local political issues for various online media.

Eryk Michael Smith is a teacher, journalist, writer, editor, DJ, narrator, radio host and marketing, sales and media consultant. He has lived in Taiwan for more than 20 years. He works as a business specialist and English editor for Bai-Nien Business services. For ICRT, he has worked as a reporter, news anchor and copywriter. For Next Media he has worked as an animation director, programme host, voice actor and international content editor. Other media experience includes work for the China Post, The News Lens Taipei, Voice of America Radio in Beijing, China and Shui Yuan Zhai Publishing Group, Taipei.

Albert Chiu (Shihyi) is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Tunghai University in Taiwan. He is an expert on politics in Taiwan and has conducted research and written extensively on subjects ranging from the political spectrum in Taiwan, electoral trends, political campaign activities, the law-making process in the Legislative Yuan’s committees, the legislative power of the president of Taiwan and gay marriage laws, among many others. He holds a BA from Chinese Culture University in Taiwan and a PhD in political science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the United States.

NT$1,400 for members; NT$2,000 for members' guest(s)

*To cancel without penalty, written cancellations must be received before 26 October.

Contact: Emily Kuo / Tel: 2740-0236 ext. 219 / emily.kuo@ecct.com.tw  / www.ecct.com.tw