本研究以政治人物馬英九為例，探討台灣主要報紙是否出現「名人政治」現象，並探討「名人政治」的新聞框架為何？有何主要特質？呈現的方式是否和傳統政治新聞報導不同？研究對象為自由時報、聯合報及中國時報三家報紙從馬英九從擔任台北市長起至卸任國民黨主席止的新聞報導。以等距抽樣法抽取864則新聞進行分析。研究發現三家主要報紙報導馬英九新聞時都出現「名人政治」的新聞框架，其中以「政治風格」的框架最為顯著，報紙重視政治姿態、品行道德的領導能力描述，另外，報紙也常用「背景故事」把名人私領域的生活面向帶入公領域。「馬英九現象」和「個人特質」、「背景故事」和「社會互動」等框架的論述密切相關，因此確實減少了公共政策或政治議題的報導數量，不過不同報紙的框架仍有差異，隨著馬英九政治位置的重要性，名人政治的新聞框架也有所變化。但就馬英九這位政治人物來說，台灣主要報紙確實出現個人特質和政治風格鮮明的「名人化」現象。 / In a time when it is commonplace for political celebrities to garner media attention as much media attention for their political performance as for their particular personal life. The author wanted to analyze a famous political figure Ma Ying-jeou to learn the process of celebrification coupled with Gans description of the norms of news reporting, the following indicators would suggest celebrification of political content. The author used the news stories from three major newspapers in Taiwan as sample to find out elements of a celebrity that would attract the journalists as well as media organizations. The result showed that the strategies were utilized to sell the political celebrity was similar to those of the Western media.

無 / The concept of “soft power” was popularized by Joseph Nye’s works in the 1990s. It is then often referred to the ability of a political body, such as a state, to indirectly influence the behavior or interests of other political bodies through cultural or ideological means. This paper seeks to apply this idea to the study of cross-Strait relations to see whether Taiwan might exert soft power against China. As we know, it is not just Taiwanese that are highly concerned with the 2008 election of Taiwan. We take this election and especially President Ma as an example to see whether Ma can help facilitate the image of Taiwan and democracy among Chinese. After interviews on several dozen Chinese college students, we found that Ma’s image, as the soft power, does make the difference. And if Taiwan can make best use of its soft power, we may not need so much military buildup to defend Taiwan.

相較過去冷戰時期的輝煌，台灣現今的國際地位黯然失色許多。自從台灣退出聯合國，與美國斷交後，台灣 (中華民國)的外交地位已漸漸在政治上被孤立。當戒嚴末期，台灣迫切地想重返過去的外交榮景。然而，面對中華人民共和國的威脅時，台灣在國際社會上極為艱困地維繫自己的主權。台灣的領導人透過積極參與國際組織與互動，尤其是聯合國與美國對台軍售，來打破如此艱困的外交處境。 在三屆的總統任期中，台灣對聯合國與對美軍售策略已漸漸形成雛形。在初步研究下，美國對台軍售有可能對台灣加入聯合國政策出現影響。換言之，購得有力的武器，台灣加入聯合國的策略就越顯積極。 回顧美國與台灣政府的文獻資料，台灣領導人訪談紀錄，報章雜誌和其他官方文件與紀錄，此研究旨在檢視在三位總統(李登輝、陳水扁、馬英九)任期內 (1990 到 2014年)，美國同意對台軍售與台灣加入聯合國的策略。研究結果指出美國對台軍售的武器打擊能力與台灣加入聯合國政策相關的可能性。 / Taiwan’s present international status has degraded considerably since its former glory days during the Cold War era. With its ejection out of the United Nations (UN) and a diplomatic severance with its most vital ally, the United States, Taiwan (ROC) has slowly slipped into political limbo. The island has frantically strived to pull itself back into the world community since the end of martial law. However, it has struggled to maintain its sovereignty and international status in the face of constant threat from the PRC (People’s Republic of China) . Taiwan’s leaders have sought alternative strategies to combat such adverse diplomatic conditions through increasing its membership or participation in various global organizations—particularly the United Nations, and continued arms purchases from the US. Within the span of three presidencies, there appears to be a pattern between Taiwan’s UN strategies and US approved arms sales. Upon initial research, US weapons sales appear to have an effect on UN policy. That is, the more significant the arms sale, the more aggressive Taiwan’s methods for UN participation becomes. Drawing from US and Taiwanese government records, Taiwanese presidential interviews, newspaper articles and other official documents and transcripts, this dissertation aims to examine US approved arms sales and UN strategies under three Taiwanese presidents: Lee Teng Hui, Chen Shui-Bian and Ma Ying Jeou from 1990 to 2014. The findings indicate a possible indirect correlation. Considering the weapons’ strategic capability, Taiwan’s UN strategy fluctuates accordingly.

本文的目的是了解和分析台灣與中美洲貿易、經濟和政治方面的關係，並將它們與不斷增長的中國的存在和影響力的地理區域比較。它也試圖對總統陳水扁和馬英九所追求的走向盟國外交作一個比較。 / This thesis aims to understand and analyze trade, economic and political aspects of the Taiwanese relationship with Central America, and compare them with the growing Chinese presence and influence in that geographic area. It also attempts to make a comparison between the diplomacy toward allied countries pursued by presidents Chen Shui-bian and Ma Ying-jeou. Taiwan has had to cope with China’s rise, a major geopolitical event of the twenty-first century. The expansion of the Chinese economy is reflected in an increased trade exchange with Latin America. Central America has not been an exception. The PRC has become a major trade partner for several Central American economies, surpassing commerce ties between them and Taiwan. This paper also states that the so-called “diplomatic truce” called for by President Ma has been working so far, as Beijing has not tried to “steal” more Taiwanese allies since 2008, and the ROC has not tried to lure new friends to its camp.