US Taiwan Policy: Constructing the Triangle

by Tunsj°; +ystein

• ISBN13: 9780415452021
• ISBN10: 0415452023
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-04-28
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

The relationship between the United States and China is one of the most important issues in the twenty-first century, and is, ultimately, hostage to conditions across the Taiwan Strait. This book is the first to attempt to trace the historical origin of what is known as the '¬ÜTaiwan issue'¬" in US-China relations from a constructivist perspective, based on detailed archival research. The analysis used supplements the mainstream rationalist approach by developing a new theoretical perspective on US Taiwan policy that incorporates constructivism'¬"s emphasis on identity, norms and discourse analysis. Scholars have never previously developed or elaborated upon this approach to any significant extent. The book re-examines the protection of Taiwan by military means following the outbreak of the Korean War, and the establishment of the '¬Üone China'¬" policy in relation to the process of rapprochement during President Nixon'¬"s first term in office. It also considers the contemporary challenges posed to the '¬Üone China'¬" policy by the increased importance of promoting human rights and democracy in US foreign policy, arguing that the current US China policy is guided by a new strategy based on '¬Üengagement plus hedging'¬".

Author Biography

Oysteln Tunsja is a Senior Research Fellow, Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies, Oslo, Norway.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	p. x
Abbreviations	p. xii
Refocusing the study of US Taiwan policy	p. 1
Discourses and the origins of the 'Taiwan issue' 1949-50	p. 20
Opening space on the Taiwan question 1969-72	p. 51
Contemporary challenges in US Taiwan policy	p. 76
Debating US strategy towards China	p. 101
Understanding US Taiwan policy: the linkage between history and theory	p. 120
Notes	p. 129
Bibliography	p. 170
Index	p. 190
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