Economic Factors. Us-taiwan Relations :1979-2001

The Taiwan issue has always been the most sensitive and intractable issue in Sino-U.S. relations. The U.S.- Taiwan relations, however, still wait for further research efforts in Taiwan studies. To analyze the U.S.- Taiwan relations not only asks for meticulous review of historical facts but also calls for the involvement of new theoretical angle and research approaches. As one of the core theories of Neo-realism in IPE, the theory of hegemonic stability would be highly helpful in tracing U.S. hegemonic history and its relations with Taiwan.Taiwan has been joining U.S. hegemony's bandwagon from the termination of their diplomatic relations. The economic factors in U.S.- Taiwan relations indicate the undulation of the capability and willingness of U.S. hegemony and the transformation of its hegemonic governance. Moreover, this undulation leads to the flux of its global strategy and China policy, which in turn profoundly influence U.S.- Taiwan relations and especially the economic factors. The development of U.S.- Taiwan economic relations can be classified into three periods based on their embodied strategic incentives and multiple interests. The U.S.- Taiwan economic relations progressed from"an asymmetrical interdependence"(1979 to middle 1980s) to"cooperation in conflicts"(middle 1980s to early 1990s) and eventually to"equal development"(since early 1990s). During this course the U.S.- Taiwan economic relations gradually reveal its profits-driven nature and the characteristic as"low politics". At the same time, these economic factors performed as"buffer","glue"and"roll booster"respectively.The undulation of U.S. hegemonic capability and willingness, the U.S. global strategy and China policy, the U.S.-Taiwan economic relations, and the economic factors correspond to each another in their developments during the above-mentioned periods. In sum, the economic factors in U.S.-Taiwan relations are the reflection of U.S. hegemony's rise and fall.