一、九一一事件後，美國在反恐優先的前提之下，對於安全威脅產生了新的指標與定義，這些新的威脅指標與定義亦促使美國與中共、台灣等三方面之間發展出新的互動關係。而這些新的互動關係亦具有三種指標：第一，不合作就是對立；第二，不對抗恐怖主義就是與美國利益衝突；第三，反恐行動與美國充分合作，將持續與各國發展關係。 二、「反恐」成為九一一事件後美國最重要的議題，美國將不斷加強其軍事力量，深化與擴大反恐戰爭，並加強與其理念相近的國家合作，同時布希政府也企圖以美國領導的「反恐聯盟」與「民主聯盟」來對付恐怖主義集團與「邪惡軸心」，以建立「飛彈防禦系統」與「先發制人」的戰略原則來因應「惡棍國家」的挑戰，以取得反恐戰爭的最後勝利。 三、九一一事件為美國與中共之間的關係提供改進的機會，中共調整對美國的策略是以善意合作來培養和美國布希政府的良好關係，同時瞭解美國不太可能會在主要戰略議題上讓步，因此，中共僅將目標定位在積極建構與美國政府正常的工作關係。所以，九一一事件後，美中關係發展在反恐戰爭前提下有顯著的改善，因為美中雙方在區域安全及經貿交流上仍存有許多共同利益；但是雙方的發展在台灣議題、人權及防範「大規模殺傷性武器」擴散等問題上，美中雙方立場仍有歧異之處。但未來反恐戰爭告一段落之後，美中雙方基於國家戰略考量，美中關係的衝突與矛盾又將會重新浮現，美中關係將會呈現出跌宕起伏，各類衝突相互交織的格局。 四、布希總統執政初期，美台關係顯然呈現出比以往「更為親密」的格局；九一一事件後，儘管美台雙方的政治與軍事關係持續進行，但明顯地受制於美中關係的發展而有所限制，美台關係「呈現倒退」的發展趨勢。但未來反恐戰爭告一段落之後，美台關係也將跟隨著美中關係的跌宕起伏呈現出「維持現狀」或「呈現倒退」亦或「更為親密」的不同格局。 五、中共歷來對台工作最高原則，一直是「一個中國」、「和平統一、一國兩制」的政策不變，但有關執行策略的運用卻是變化多端，將隨著國內外環境變遷而時有轉變。中共在「十六大」之前的對台政策，仍是秉持「江八點」和「和平統一、一國兩制」作為推展兩岸關係的基調，及強調不放棄使用武力。「十六大」後，中共提出的對台政策，基本上維持「江規胡隨」，仍然堅持「一個中國」原則是發展兩岸關係和實現和平統一的基礎，呼籲兩岸暫時擱置某些政治爭議，並提出「三個可以談」－可以談正式結束兩岸敵對狀態問題、兩岸應擴大交流交往、繼續堅持「和平統一、一國兩制」基本方針。 六、在美中台三角關係中，台灣介於美國（世界超強）與中共（區域強權）之間，所能發揮影響的空間相對較小。在九一一事件後，美中之間基於反恐戰爭的需要，使得美中關係獲得改善，美中關係已由2001年間的「戰略競爭者」走向2003年間的「建設性合作關係」，只要反恐戰爭沒有宣告結束的一天，而中共的改革開放政策持續不變，雙方為了維持國際環境的和平與穩定，美中關係將會朝向穩定的格局發展，不會受到雙方的歧見而有所改變。台灣處在這個反恐時期裡，要生存、要維護國家的安全，就要設法淡化兩岸緊張的關係，加強與美國維持密切的關係。

Denny Roy describes the current political situation in Taiwan as both “peculiar and intriguing.” Roy also uses the terms “beautiful” and “beleaguered” to define Taiwan. These oxymoronic terms are natural reactions to the political turmoil and the economic success that characterize this island. The island itself appears harmless enough, yet it remains an indirect military threat to the world’s two most powerful nations: China and the US. At the heart of this threat is the question of Taiwan’s political status. Is it a sovereign nation in its own right or is it a part of mainland China? Taiwan believes it is sovereign and entitled to recognition as a sovereign state. China believes Taiwan is merely a renegade state and will eventually return to mainland China. The US is torn between foreign policies and relationships with both Taiwan and China and takes a rather ambiguous position. The result is decades of diplomatic wars between Taiwan and China with the US quite often caught in the middle. The purpose of this research study is to analyze and trace the origins and developments of Taiwan’s “peculiar and intriguing” circumstances and the consequences for world peace. This will require a detailed examination of the relations between Taiwan, China and the US and how foreign policy strategies and world politics have steered this triangle and the legal developments that have emerged. Certainly, conflict in the Middle East is a threat to world peace and security. However, no conflict or political impasse exists with the threat of war between the world’s two superpowers juxtaposed against one another as does the situation in the Taiwan Strait. A war between the US and China over Taiwan’s legal status may or may not happen. However, the mere prospect of such a war shapes and steers Taiwan’s domestic and international affairs. The focus on the colliding interests in and over the Taiwan Strait, automatically follow from the current status quo. For the second half of the 20th century each of the parties involved have gravitated toward largely incompatible goals. China takes the position that there is only one China and Taiwan is a part of China. Taiwan originally believed just as vociferously in the opposite contention and declared Taipei rather than Beijing as China’s legitimate capital. In recent years Taiwan has pursued autonomous status and international recognition. However, the greatest part of Taiwan’s population favors the status quo: rejecting independence and Chinese control all at once. The US is similarly positioned: acknowledging China’s one-China policy without expressing or demonstrating acceptance of it. Meanwhile the US has legally bound itself to providing military and economic assistance to Taiwan. These are the peculiar and intriguing circumstances surrounding the situation in Taiwan that motivate this study. / Denny Roy describes the current political situation in Taiwan as both “peculiar and intriguing.” Roy also uses the terms “beautiful” and “beleaguered” to define Taiwan. These oxymoronic terms are natural reactions to the political turmoil and the economic success that characterize this island. The island itself appears harmless enough, yet it remains an indirect military threat to the world’s two most powerful nations: China and the US. At the heart of this threat is the question of Taiwan’s political status. Is it a sovereign nation in its own right or is it a part of mainland China? Taiwan believes it is sovereign and entitled to recognition as a sovereign state. China believes Taiwan is merely a renegade state and will eventually return to mainland China. The US is torn between foreign policies and relationships with both Taiwan and China and takes a rather ambiguous position. The result is decades of diplomatic wars between Taiwan and China with the US quite often caught in the middle. The purpose of this research study is to analyze and trace the origins and developments of Taiwan’s “peculiar and intriguing” circumstances and the consequences for world peace. This will require a detailed examination of the relations between Taiwan, China and the US and how foreign policy strategies and world politics have steered this triangle and the legal developments that have emerged. Certainly, conflict in the Middle East is a threat to world peace and security. However, no conflict or political impasse exists with the threat of war between the world’s two superpowers juxtaposed against one another as does the situation in the Taiwan Strait. A war between the US and China over Taiwan’s legal status may or may not happen. However, the mere prospect of such a war shapes and steers Taiwan’s domestic and international affairs. The focus on the colliding interests in and over the Taiwan Strait, automatically follow from the current status quo. For the second half of the 20th century each of the parties involved have gravitated toward largely incompatible goals. China takes the position that there is only one China and Taiwan is a part of China. Taiwan originally believed just as vociferously in the opposite contention and declared Taipei rather than Beijing as China’s legitimate capital. In recent years Taiwan has pursued autonomous status and international recognition. However, the greatest part of Taiwan’s population favors the status quo: rejecting independence and Chinese control all at once. The US is similarly positioned: acknowledging China’s one-China policy without expressing or demonstrating acceptance of it. Meanwhile the US has legally bound itself to providing military and economic assistance to Taiwan. These are the peculiar and intriguing circumstances surrounding the situation in Taiwan that motivate this study.