Benchmarking the Ten-Year Development of the Rule of Law in Asia from 1999-2009 September 9-12, 2009 Taipei, Taiwan
The Mansfield Foundation, in collaboration with the National Taiwan University, conducted a two-day roundtable dialogue and public conference in Taiwan on the Rule of Law in Asia September 9-12, 2009. The program marks the resumption of a series of conferences and meetings focused on the Rule of Law in Asia, a project initiated by the Mansfield Foundation in 1999. This program was organized in cooperation with internationally renowned rule of law expert Jerome A. Cohen (Professor, New York University Law School and Adjunct Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations), Tsung-fu Chen (Associate Dean of the Law College, National Taiwan University), and Hsin-chun Wang (Assistant Professor of Law, National Taiwan University).
Preparatory Work Session
The first part of the program convened a small group of government officials, policymakers, legal scholars and lawyers from Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam and the U.S. for a preparatory closed-door work session. Participants engaged in dialogues and debates about capacity building and legal reforms, corruption, human rights issues, an independent judiciary, freedom of the press, and effective governance. Current events and high-profile court cases were used to illustrate developments in the rule of law in each country.
Rule of Law dialogue participants prepared for the conference in closed-door work sessions.
Dialogue participants also met with local judges, government officials, and scholars to discuss the current legal, economic, social, and political issues facing the government and people of Taiwan and how different organizations cope with administrative and judicial reforms. Their visits included meetings with: President of the Republic of China Ma Ying-jeou; President of the Judicial Yuan and Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court Lai In-jaw; and President and Speaker of the Legislative Yuan Wang Jin-pyng.
Rule of Law dialogue participants met with President of the Republic of China
Ma Ying-jeou
Roundtable Dialogue Participants:
Wen-Chen Chang, Associate Professor of Law at National Taiwan University College of Law
Albert H.Y. Chen, Professor of Law at the University of Hong Kong
Tsung-fu Chen, Associate Dean of Law College and Professor of Law at National Taiwan University
Yu-Jie Chen, Research Fellow, U.S.-Asia Law Institute, New York University
Jerome Cohen, Professor at New York University Law School and Adjunct Senior Fellow, Asia Studies, Council on Foreign Relations
Hualing Fu, Professor of Law and Head of the Department of Law at the University of Hong Kong
Bui Thi Bich Lien, Deputy Director of the Judicial Development and Grassroots Engagement Project (JUDGE)
Eun-Young Park, Partner at Kim & Chang
Yeong-chin Su, Professor of Law at National Chengchi University School of Law
Frank K. Upham, Wilf Family Professor of Property Law at New York University School of Law
Hsin-chun Wang, Assistant Professor of Law at National Taiwan University
Jaw-perng Wang, Professor of Law at National Taiwan University College of Law.
Jiunn-rong Yeh, Professor of Law at National Taiwan University College of Law
Public Conference
On September 11, National Taiwan University Law School hosted a half-day public conference on the Rule of Law in Asia featuring dialogue participants. Professor Tsung-fu Chen and Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation Deputy Executive Director Paige Cottingham-Streatergave the opening remarks. Ms. Paige Cottingham-Streater moderated the conference and the participants from Asia presented summaries of the rule of law in their countries. Professor Frank K. Uphamled a moderated discussion on the Rule of Law in Asia, and Professor Jerome Cohen gave the closing remarks.Legal scholars, judges, and students and alumni from National Taiwan University Law School attended the conference.
Agenda: Welcome Remarks
Tsung-fu Chen
Associate Dean of the Law College and Professor of Law
National Taiwan University
Paige Cottingham-Streater
Deputy Executive Director
The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation
Reports on the Rule of Law in Asia Taiwan
Hsin-chun Wang
Assistant Professor of Law
National Taiwan University
Mainland China
Hualing Fu
Professor of Law
Head of the Department of Law
University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Albert H.Y. Chen
Professor of Law
Department of Law
University of Hong Kong
Vietnam
Bui Thi Bich Lien
Deputy Director
Judicial Development and Grassroots Engagement Project
Korea
Eun-Young Park
Partner
Kim & Chang
Japan
Kazuko Ito
Attorney at Law and Secretary General, Human Rights Now
Moderated Discussion Lead Discussant
Frank K. Upham
Professor of Property Law, Co-Director of the U.S.-Asia Law
Institute
New York University
Closing Commentary
Jerome Cohen
Professor of Law, Co-Director of the U.S.-Asia Law Institute
New York University
Closing Remarks
Tsung-fu Chen
Associate Dean of the Law College and Professor of Law
National Taiwan University
Participants presented their findings and compared rule of law developments in their countries
Legal scholars, judges, and students and alumni from National Taiwan University Law School attended the September 11 conference.
For information on the 2002 Rule of Law program, please click here.
