Shaohua Hu, Foreign Policies Toward Taiwan

Excerpt

The reader’s first observation about Foreign Policies Toward Taiwan (judging from the Table of Contents) may be that the author is unaware of the countries whose policies vis-à-vis Taiwan matter: the United States and China. The chapter on U.S. policy is shorter than the chapters on the EU’s policy or Japan’s policy, and there is no chapter on China’s Taiwan policy. The reader might also think that Hu assumes China’s policy is defined as domestic not foreign policy; therefore, it should not be included. However, Hu explains this by employing case studies to answer why some states recognize Taiwan (and some do not), and the critical factors in Taiwan’s national interest, that applies especially to relations with the United States. Also, Hu seeks to address three vital questions: What policies have nations adopted concerning cross-Taiwan Strait relations? What factors have impacted their policies? What policies would they follow in case of a cross-Strait crisis? …