Prof KAO Lang 高朗教授
Professor KAO Lang (高朗教授)
Head and Professor
Department of Social Science
Director of Centre for Greater China Studies
Programme Director of BSocSc-AS Programme

Tel : (852) 3963 5362
Email :
lkao@hsu.edu.hk


Professor Lang Kao is now Department Head of Social Science and Programme Director of Asian Studies at HSMC. Previously, he taught in the Department of Political Science at National Taiwan University (NTU) and served as department chair from 2003 to 2005. 

From 2008 to 2012, Professor Kao served in President Ma Ying-jeou’s administration as Deputy Secretary-General to the President. In that position, he helped coordinate the domestic policymaking process.

Professor Kao graduated from NTU with BA and MA degrees in 1979 and 1983, respectively. Between 1982 and 1984, he worked for the Editorial Section of the Central News Agency. In 1984, Professor Kao went abroad for study, and obtained a PhD in government and politics at the University of Maryland (College Park) in 1989. He joined the NTU faculty in 1989.

Professor Kao specialises in international relations, regional economic integration, and comparative government. During his career at NTU, he wrote and edited many books and articles on constitutional reform, political and economic development, and public policy.

In recent years, he has turned his attention to the study of Asia-Pacific regional economic integration and public policy in the digital age. From 2013 to 2015, he was a member of the  Chinese Taipei Delegation to the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week. Since 2014, he has been a regularly featured columnist for the United Daily News (Taiwan). Currently, he is also convener of the macroeconomics committee of the Cross-Strait CEO Summit.

Professor Kao has received a Fulbright Scholar grant, a MacKay Canadian Studies Award, and many research awards from the National Science Council.


Major DisciplinesTeaching AreasResearch InterestsPublications
TopMajor Disciplines
  • International Relations, Comparative Government
TopTeaching Areas
  • International Political Economy, Political Communication, Conflict and Negotiation, Comparative Government
TopResearch Interests
  • Regional Economic Integration, Political Communication, Conflict and Negotiation, Constitutional Issues
TopPublications

Journal Papers

  • Kao, Lang.1990. “The Future of the Hong Kong Model” (in Chinese), Chinese Political Science Review18: 155-175.
  • Kao, Lang. 1990. “Could the US Support Taiwanese Independence?” (in Chinese), American Monthly 8 (1): 62-71.
  • Kao, Lang. 1991. “Nationalism in the Post-Cold War Era” (in Chinese), America Monthly, 6 (6): 58-61.
  • Kao, Lang. 1991. “Relations Between the US and the UN in a New Global Setting” (in Chinese), America Monthly 6 (8): 46-52.
  • Kao, Lang. 1991. “A New Relationship Across the Taiwan Straits,” Issues & Studies 27 (4).
  • Kao, Lang. 1992. “Issues of Governmental Structure in Light of Presidential Powers Since the Constitutional Amendments” (in Chinese), Journal of Sunology: A Social Science Quarterly 7 (2): 13-24.
  • Kao, Lang. 1993. “Strategies and Prospects for a Return by Taiwan to the United Nations” (in Chinese), Theory and Policy, Vol.7, No.3, pp. 109-117.
  • Kao, Lang. 1993. “Factors for Instability in East Asian Peace—Diplomatic Thrusts by Taipei and the Containment Mentality of Beijing” (in Chinese), The Journal of International Relations 8: 137-156.
  • Kao, Lang. 1994. “Comparative Analysis of the Parliamentary System and the Presidential System” (in Chinese), Chinese Political Science Review 21: 53-76.
  • Kao, Lang. 1994. “ROC Diplomacy Over the Past 40 Years” (in Chinese), Forty Years of Cross-strait Ties, Fei-lung Lei, ed., Taipei: Theory and Policy Publishing House.
  • Kao, Lang. 1994. “Cross-strait Diplomatic Rivalry as Reflected in the Two Sides’ Changing Diplomatic Alliances (1972-1992” (in Chinese), Taiwanese Journal of Political Science 5: 183-210.
  • Kao, Lang. 1994, “Taiwan’s Strategy for Returning to International Intergovernmental Bodies” (in Chinese) Theory and Policy 9 (1): 28-37.
  • Kao, Lang and Chih-yu Shih, 1995. “Conflict Between the UK and the PRC During Hong Kong’s Transitional Period, and Each Side’s Negotiating Strategy” (in Chinese) Issues & Studies 34 (1): 48-65.
  • Kao, Lang. 1995, “The Quebec Issue and Canada’s Constitutional Reforms” (in Chinese), America &  Europe Monthly 10 (6): 59-68.
  • Kao, Lang. 1996. “The Quebec Issue and Difficulties Facing the Reform of Canada’s Federal System” (in Chinese), Taiwanese Journal of Political Science 7: 99-124.
  • Kao, Lang. 1996. “How the People of Taiwan Rate Their Government, and What They Expect of It” (in Chinese), in Taiwan in the Global Village Ching-Fu Hsu, ed., Taipei: Cheng Chung Book Co., 221-240.
  • Kao, Lang. 1997, “The Significance, Impact, and Value of High-level Overseas Visits” (in Chinese), in Trip for Peace, Taipei: Government Information Office, Executive Yuan, 111-148.
  • Kao, Lang. 1997. “Analysis of the PRC’s Criticisms and Obstruction of Taiwan’s Pragmatic Diplomacy” (in Chinese), The Journal of International Relations, 12: 135-153.
  • Kao, Lang. 1997. “Assessing Presidential Powers Amidst the Transition from Authoritarianism” (in Chinese), Americas & Europe Quarterly 12 (42) 1-24.
  • Kao, Lang. 1998. “A Decade of Cross-strait Diplomatic Rivalry, 1988~1997” (in Chinese), Theory and Policy 12 (3): 23-46.
  • Kao, Lang. 1998. “Preconditions for and Difficulties of Cross-strait Integration, Examined Through the Lens of Integration Theory” (in Chinese), in The Ongoing Debate on a Theory of Cross-strait Relations, Yu-shan Wu, ed., Taipei; Wu-Nan Book Inc., 41-76.
  • Kao, Lang. 1999. “Trends and Changes in Overseas Visits by High-level Officials From Both Sides of the Taiwan Strait (1989-1997)” (in Chinese), Theory and Policy 13 (3): 171-191.
  • Kao, Lang. 2001. “President Chen’s Unusual Choice: Minority Government + Coalition Government” (in Chinese), in Coalition Government, Yung-chin Su, ed., Taipei: New Taiwanese Cultural Foundation, 315-319.
  • Kao, Lang. 2001. “The Road to Governance—From Formation of a Political Party to Rule as the Majority Party” (in Chinese), in The Remaking of Political Parties, Taipei: New Taiwanese Cultural Foundation, 263-268.
  • Kao, Lang. 2001. “Assessing the Timing of the Formation of the Minority Government and the Coalition Government” (in Chinese), in The 1997 Constitutional Amendments and the Development of Constitutional Government, Chien-min Chen and Yu-jen Chou, eds., Taipei: National Policy Foundation, pp. 249-265.
  • Kao, Lang & Szu-yin Ho. 2002. “The Study of International Relations in Taiwan,” Journal of East Asian Studies 2 (1) (February).
  • Kao, Lang. 2003. “Examining Taiwan’s Current Constitutional Crisis,” (in Chinese), in Constitutional Crises and Constitutional Turning Points, Yu-jen Chou, ed. Taipei: National Policy Foundation, 23-40.
  • Kao, Lang. 2004. “Change and Consistency in the PRC’s Post-Cold War Foreign Affairs Policy” (in Chinese), Taiwanese Journal of Political Science 21: 1-31.
  • Kao, Lang. 2006, “How to Understand the Rise of China” (in Chinese), Prospect Quarterly, 7 (2): 53-94.
  • Kao, Lang. 2014. “UK Labour Party’s Efforts to Promote Voting by Post (2000–2007)” (in Chinese), Taiwanese Journal of Political Science 59: 27-54.
  • Wu, F., Huang, Y. H., Kao, L. 2016. “East Meets West: A New Contextual Perspective for Crisis Communication Theory,” Asian Journal of Communication 26 (4): 350-370. (corresponding author).

Conference Papers

  • Kao, Lang. 1990. “The Direction of Constitutional Reform—Comparison of the Parliamentary System and the Presidential System” (in Chinese), paper for delivery at the Symposium for Academic Papers on Constitutional Reform in the Republic of China.
  • Kao, Lang. 1991. “The Path to Constitutional Reform” (in Chinese), paper for delivery at the National Chengchi University Symposium on Constitutional Reform.
  • Kao, Lang.1992. "An Economic Community in Asia: New Developments," paper for delivery at the Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association, The Palmer House Hilton, Chicago, September 3-6, 1992.
  • Kao, Lang. 1993. “Factors for Instability in East Asian Peace—Diplomatic Thrusts by Taipei and the Containment Mentality of Beijing” (in Chinese), paper for delivery at the Symposium of the National Chengchi University Department of Diplomacy on Post-Cold War Peace and Stability in the Asia-Pacific Region.
  • Kao, Lang. 1993. "The Taiwan Factor in U.S.-PRC Relations: New Developments," paper for delivery at the 89th Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association, The Washington Hilton, September 2-5, 1993.
  • Kao, Lang. 1993. “Strategies and Approaches for Participation by Taiwan in the United Nations” (in Chinese), paper for delivery at the Chinese Cultural University Symposium on the Position of the Republic of China in the International Community.
  • Kao, Lang. 1994. “The Prospects for U.S.-ROC Defense Cooperation in the 1990s,” paper for delivery at International Conference on Taiwan in a Transformed Global Setting, Royal Sonesta Hotel, Cambridge, Massachusetts, April 28-29, 1994.
  • Kao, Lang. 1994. "Diplomatic Rivalry between the ROC and the PRC, 1972-92," prepared for delivery at the 90th Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association in New York City, September 1-4, 1994.
  • Kao, Lang. 1995. “The Choice for Constitutional Government During the Course of Authoritarianism in Transition” (in Chinese), paper for delivery at the Symposium on State Structure and the Constitutional System in a Future China, jointly held by the 21st Century Foundation, The Cultural Foundation of the United Daily News Group, and the UC Berkeley Institute of East Asian Studies.
  • Kao, Lang. 1996. “Taiwan’s Economic and Trade Diplomacy” (in Chinese), paper for delivery at the Symposium on Strategies for Expanding Taiwan’s Room for International Participation, November 23, 1996.
  • Kao, Lang. 1997. "Taiwan's Gateway to Greater Participation in the International Community: Achieve UN Observer Status," paper for delivery at the Quatrieme Seminaire France-Taiwan De La Sorbonne Paris, 8-10 July, 1997.
  • Kao, Lang. 1997. "Taiwan's Response to Hong Kong's Transfer to China," paper for delivery at the 93rd Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association in Washington, D.C., August 28-31, 1997.
  • Kao, Lang. 1998. “A Decade of Cross-strait Diplomatic Rivalry, 1988~1997” (in Chinese), paper for delivery at the Symposium on Post-Cold War Chinese Diplomacy, held by the City University of Hong Kong, July 21-22, 1998.
  • Kao, Lang. 1999. “National Identity and Orientation: A Crisis for Political Development in Taiwan” (in Chinese), paper for delivery at the Symposium on a 21st-century Challenge to Chinese Political Scientists: Localization of Political Science, held by the University of Maryland Institute for Global Chinese Affairs, September 10-12, 1999.
  • Kao, Lang. 2000. “Analysis of the Orientation of Academic Research Papers on Taiwan’s International Relations and Diplomacy (1989-1998)” (in Chinese), paper for delivery at the Annual Conference and Symposium of the Chinese Association of Political Science, held by the Chinese Association of Political Science, January 8, 2000, in Political Science Heading into the 21st Century, Szu-yin Ho and Yu-shan Wu, eds., Taipei: Chinese Association of Political Science, pp. 295-313.
  • Kao, Lang. 2000. "The Impact of Chen's Victory on the Security in East Asia," paper for Septieme Colloque France-Taiwan, meeting of L'Alternance Politique et les Relations Internationales, Organisé par le Centre de Politique Internationale de la Sorbonne Université de Paris 1, 28-29 June, 2000.
  • Kao, Lang. 2001. “Presidential Powers and the Consolidation of Democracy” (in Chinese), paper for delivery at the Symposium on the Constitutional System and Presidential Power, held by the National Policy Foundation, October 5, 2001, in Constitutional System and Presidential Power, Lang Kao and Tu-ching Sui, eds., Taipei: pp. 115-146.
  • Kao, Lang. 2002. “Change and Consistency in the PRC’s Post-Cold War Foreign Affairs Policy” (in Chinese), paper for delivery at the Symposium on Changes, Orientation, and Strategies in Cross-strait Relations, held jointly by the National Taiwan University Department of Political Science and the New Taiwanese Cultural Foundation, December 20, 2002.
  • Kao, Lang. 2015. “Cross-Strait Agreements and Taiwan’s Executive-Legislative Relationship, 2008-2015,” Taiwan Democracy Project, 2015 Annual Conference on Taiwan Democracy, Stanford University, October 26-27.

Books and Monographs

  • Kao, Lang. 1993. The Evolution of ROC’s Diplomatic Relations with Other Countries (1950-1972) (in Chinese), Taipei, Wu-Nan Book Inc.
  • Kao, Lang. 1994. The Evolution of ROC’s Diplomatic Relations with Other Countries (1972-1992) (in Chinese), Taipei, Wu-Nan Book Inc.
  • Kao, Lang. 1996. Research on the Status of Heads of Government in Taiwan’s Constitutional System (in Chinese), research commissioned by the Research, Development and Evaluation Commission, Executive Yuan.
  • Kao, Lang and Chu-cheng Ming, eds., 2001. The Direction of Change in Constitutional Systems (in Chinese), Taipei, New Taiwanese Cultural Foundation.
  • Kao, Lang. Tu-ching Sui, eds., 2002. Constitutional System and Presidential Power (in Chinese), Taipei, National Policy Foundation.