Cadet Guest Lecture from Mr. Peck

Mr. Daniel W. Peck, the Director of Political Military Affairs at the Washington Office of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the de-facto US diplomatic mission for Taiwan, guest-lectured in Chinese. USMA Chinese cadets and faculty listened (in Chinese and some English) to an expert discuss the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) as well as other elements of the U.S.-China-Taiwan relationship. The class had been studying and engaging in discussions about the Taiwan Relations Act for the two weeks prior, so this guest lecture provided them the opportunity to engage in Chinese with a professional whose daily duties include execution of the Act. As a former Army officer and FAO, Mr. Peck presented an excellent perspective on the critical importance of language, regional expertise, and culture (LREC) during and after an Army career. Building a relationship with AIT could also result in additional opportunities for cadets and faculty in Taiwan and Washington D.C. After the class, Dr. Gallagher, CDT David Lee, Dr. Tai-Jung Lee, CPT JR Sessions, and LTC Gregory enjoyed a wide-ranging discussion to identify areas in which DFL and AIT could work together to broaden and deepen USMA Department of State interactions vis-a-vis Taiwan. In the afternoon, in his role as AIT representative, Mr. Peck met with the three Taiwanese exchange cadets currently at West Point and enjoyed a lighthearted conversation about their time at USMA and experience in the United States.