Is Washington A Necessary Step Towards Taibei?

“the United States” has been among the most important factors affecting thecross-strait relations, or even seen as the biggest obstacle that would impede the finalcross-strait reunification. Academics have a voice that "the road leading to Taipeishould go round Washington." In other words, the ultimate resolution of the Taiwanquestion need the approval of the United States. Is that true? Before Chen Shui-biantook office, there were differences between the United States and Taiwan oncross-strait issues, but the U.S. still had Taiwan’s ear in most cases. It was not untilChen Shui-bian became "President" in May2000that Taiwan and the U.S. haddisputes on the cross-strait issue many times,and US-Taiwan relations encounteredups and downs. After becoming "President" in May2008, Ma Ying-jeou patched uprelations with the U.S., and the cross-strait relations had shown good momentum ofdevelopment. However, the cross-strait political negotiations has not open as yet,where the U.S. took a shadow over and over again. During the course, how did theUnited States influence the decision-making of Taiwan authorities? Was the influenceof the United States to the Taiwan authorities weakened or strengthened on thecross-strait issue? This paper studies the interaction between the United States andTaiwan on cross-strait issues from May2000to May2012, which is trying analyzingthe path and effectiveness of the American policy that influences the Taiwanauthorities on the cross-strait issue,which would provide a reference to the futurework against the United States and Taiwan.There are five chapters in addition to the introduction. Chapter1analyzes from ahistorical point that how the United States intervened in the Taiwan issue during Chiangs and Lee Teng-hui era; the Chapters2and3discuss and analyze respectivelythe path and effectiveness of the American policy that influences the Taiwanauthorities on the cross-strait issue under the Chen Shui-bian administration and theMa Ying-jeou administration; Chapter4takes a summative analysis of the twochapters above to explain the factors that restrict U.S. influence on decision-makingof the Taiwan authorities; Chapter5comes to the conclusion and analyszes " whetherthe road leading to Taipei should go round Washington or not", and suming up withthe constraining factors mentioned above, it comes out with new ideas in dealing withthe Taiwan issue.