This volume represents the first major scholarly study of the foreign policy of the Republic of China (ROC) on Taiwan since its government seat was moved to Taipei in 1949. Written by nine prominent scholars from the United States, the ROC, and Canada, the book examines in detail the history and current reality of the ROC’s relations with its Asian neighbors, the United States, Western Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and Canada. The contributors demonstrate that Taiwan’s economic success, political democratization, and social stability have enabled it to effectively utilize unorthodox diplomacy to break its international isolation and play an increasingly active role in the international arena. An important contribution to the international relations literature, this volume is an ideal supplemental text for both general courses in international diplomacy and those specifically focused on Asian politics.
Following an introductory chapter that describes the foundation of the ROC’s foreign policy, each chapter analyzes a particular area of Taipei’s foreign relations. The contributors pay particular attention to Taiwan’s use of scarce resources to deal with both military and diplomatic threats from the People’s Republic of China and its own relatively isolated position on the international scene. Through the use of its developing economic power, the contributors show, Taiwan has been able to employ a flexible foreign policy that effectively serves its national interests. The use of this economic diplomacy has enabled the tiny country not only to survive in the face of the threats posed by its much larger neighbor but also to prosper and become an international economic force in its own right. In the final chapter, editor Yu San Wang suggests a program for the peaceful reunification of mainland China and Taiwan. A bibliography is included to aid readers who wish to pursue further research on Taiwan’s foreign policy.
