Foreign Policy Making in Taiwan

Following President Chen Sui-bians victory in the controversial 2004 presidential election, this book examines the future direction of Taiwans foreign policy, focusing on the internal and external forces that influence and shape the countries foreign policy decisions today. The author suggests that four levels of analysis the international system, governmental structure, societal forces and individual factors pose some explanatory value when seeking to understand Taipeis foreign policy behaviour. Taiwans foreign policy decision-making remains an extremely complex process involving many important variables. However the authors detailed analysis reveals that external factors, particularly seismic shifts in global politics and the role of China and the US have had an extraordinary degree of influence over the islands foreign relations. This book highlights these factors as important considerations that continue to play a critical role in shaping Taiwans foreign policy. Providing a clear analysis of the dynamics of Taiwans foreign policy, Foreign Policy Making in Taiwan is an important addition to the literature on Taiwan and will be essential reading for followers of Chinese politics, comparative politics and foreign policy analysis.