PEKING\u27S POLICY TOWARD TAIWAN IN THE 1970S: A STUDY FROM THE STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to identify and to explain Peking\u27s policy toward Taiwan during the 1970s. To be more specific, the questions which this study seeks to answer are, was there a consistent Taiwan policy of the PRC during the 1970s? If yes, what was that and why? This study treats Peking\u27s policy vis-a-vis Taiwan as a strategy, the means aimed at the eventual goal of take-over. Hence one of John P. Lovell\u27s three analytical frameworks as developed in his book Foreign Policy in Perspective, the strategic perspective, is used by this study. The first part of the study, the theoretical basis of the strategy, tries to work out a hypothetical rationale for Peking\u27s policy through evaluating the five key variables suggested by Lovell\u27s framework. These variables include: parties and alignments involved in the issue; Peking\u27s stakes in the issue; Peking\u27s estimates of its own capability and of the strategy of other parties; and rules of the conflict. The rationale will then be subject to verification through analyzing Peking\u27s real deeds--the implementation of the strategy. This is done in the second part of the study. It has been found that Peking has had a relatively stable trend in its efforts to claim Taiwan during the 1970s which could be considered a consistent strategy. The strategy is a process of endeavour to gain or to preserve Peking\u27s free hand in the future solution of the Taiwan issue while at the same time to ascertain that Taiwan would not be frightened into pursuing some risky options out of desperation which might make Peking\u27s eventual goal unattainable. Moreover, the strategy can be explained by a short-term goal of attempting to isolate, pacify and force the Taiwan leadership into a position of seeing no alternative to accepting Peking\u27s accommodation offer, a special autonomous region status for the Island which would continuously be ruled by the present leadership but under Peking\u27s sovereignty