ECCT PREMIUM EVENT 
JOINTLY HOSTED WITH ICRT

Shen Fu-hsiung 沈富雄, Political and economic commentator

Joanna Lei 雷倩, CEO, Chunghua 21st Century Think Tank

Joseph Wu (Jau-shieh) 吳釗燮, Secretary-General, Democratic Progressive Party

Gavin Phipps, ICRT News Department

No. 3, Lane 39, Sec 2 Zhongshan N Rd, Taipei 104, Taiwan /台北市中山北路二段39巷3號

Metropolitan elections will be held on Saturday, 29 November 2014, to elect the municipal mayors, municipal councilors and ward chiefs of the six special municipalities or megacities (Taipei, Kaohsiung, New Taipei, Taichung, Tainan and Taoyuan (which will become Taiwan's sixth and newest megacity). Ahead of the election, the ECCT, together with International Community Radio Taipei (ICRT) will be hosting a panel of high profile experts from across the political spectrum 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 represent different political camps, 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 last major elections in 2012? Will there be an impact from the "sunflower movement" and other opposition   movements in any of the races?

  - The implications of a change in the status quo for business and trade should the opposition win any of the races in northern or central Taiwan. Will the government take a more protectionist approach to trade?

  - What business opportunities can we look forward to after the election? What opportunities are there for European business related to the aerotropolis project, new MRT or light rail systems in New Taipei, Taoyuan and Tainan, reconstruction work in Kaohsiung following the gas disaster and opportunities related to free economic pilot zones.

Dr Shen Fu-Hsiung is an experienced former Taiwan legislator and a sought-after economic and political commentator. He has served on several legislative committees and formerly held key posts in the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), namely Executive Director of the Policy committee and Chairman of the Central Review committee. Dr Shen holds an MD degree from National Taiwan University and a PhD from the University of California. He was, until recently, also a candidate in the 2014 Taipei mayoral election.

Dr Joanna Lei has had 30 years of experience in communication, mass media and financial services in the United States and the Asia Pacific. She is concurrently CEO of the Chunghua 21st Century Think Tank, Vice Chairman of DigiDom Cable TV Co. Ltd, Managing Partner of AZUL Management Ltd in Singapore and Chairman of Chienna International Ltd. Lei began her career as a communications scholar and later worked as a media executive for Capital Cities/ABC in New York. From 1997-2002, she served as the Investment Partner of BCEA, a specialty fund jointly sponsored by ING Barings and CEA in Singapore. Since repatriating to Taiwan in 2000, Lei has held a number of elected or appointed positions in the public sector, including legistator from 2004-2008, Chairman of the Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor Co., Economic Affairs and International Affairs Advisor for Taipei City and Board Director of the Taoyuan Airport Company among others. She also chairs a number of NPO/NGOs dealing with children and environmental issues. She holds a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania and a BA from National Taiwan University.

Dr Joseph Wu (Jau-shieh) is currently the Secretary-General of the Democratic Progressive Party. Prior to his current position, he was the party's chief policy official and the party's representative to the United States. His previous government positions include Deputy Secretary-General to the President from 2002-2004, Minister of the Mainland Affairs Council from 2004-2007 and Taiwan's official representative to the United States from 2007-2008. He has also served in the Institute of International Relations, National Chengchi University as a research fellow. He has written numerous books and articles on international relations, cross-Strait relations and Taiwan's political development. He holds a PhD in political science from Ohio State University in the United States.