A Theoretical Interpretation of Cross-Straits Relations
Author: Yu-Shan Wu
Abstract / Chinese PDF Download
The first part of this paper is a literature review of contemporary study on cross-Straits relations. Three types of academic works can be found in the literature: normative discussion that is oriented toward specific national goals and entailing policy prescriptions; descriptive analyses that focus on organizing facts, presenting data, and depicting trends; and theoretical formulations that explain patterns through general concepts and models. In the last category one finds three levels of analysis: international system, national attributes, and decision making. Those theories capture specific aspects of Cross-Straits relations, but they often fail to grasp the most important elements in the current relations between Taipei and Beijing: power asymmetry and conflicting sovereignty claims. The second part of this paper presents a theory to account for Taipei’s mainland policy. It is assumed that there are only two basic policy alternatives for Taiwan: balancing and bandwagoning. Through a comparison with the former Soviet Union, it is found that the gap in economic development across the Taiwan Straits and the American support for Taipei constitute the two main factors that uphold Taiwan’s balancing strategy toward mainland China.