Former American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) chairman Richard Bush said in Taipei yesterday that it is important to build a consensus in Taiwan about its core interests so that the country can face the challenges that lie ahead.

The former AIT head, who now serves as the director of the Center for Northeast Asia Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution, made the remark at an international conference titled “A Spectacular Century: The Republic of China (ROC) Centennial Democracy Forums.”

The two-day conference was organized by the Council for Cultural Affairs as part of a year-long celebration of the country’s 100th anniversary.