| Summary: | 博士 === 中國文化大學 === 中山學術研究所 === 98 === Cross-Strait relations have long been an issue of global concern. Over the past few decades, almost every move of Cross-Strait relations has affected the stability of East Asian countries, and even the interactions among Pacific Rim countries. As a result, “Cross-Strait relations” could be extended to three levels: 1)“Great Cross-Strait relations” which is the Pacific Cross-Strait relations (including US-China-Taiwan relations, and factors involving Japan, Russia, Korea, and South East Asia); 2) “Medium Cross-Strait relations”, which is the relations across the Taiwan Strait (Taiwan-China relations), and 3) “Small Cross-Strait relations”, which is the relations between Kinmen and Xiamen. These three levels of Cross-Strait relations interlock and interact with one another to construct a closely interactive international political system. Based on the history of the past few decades, it is proven that the “small Cross-Strait relations” usually have a passive status. As Kinmen is located at a pivotal point, it has been regarded as an indicator of the development of Cross-Strait relations in recent years.
The dissertation “A Study on the Role of Kinmen in Cross-Strait Relations” attempted to use Constructivism as a research framework to investigate how the globe has viewed relations across the Taiwan Strait at different periods, what kind of role that the United States hopes Taiwan will play in the containment policy, the reason that Taipei resolutely defends Kinmen, and what kind of role Taipei hopes that Kinmen will play. In addition, this study also investigated how Taipei strived for international support to realize the idea of an “anti-communist restoration of the country”, and how it participated in organizing international anti-communist organizations and promoting the anti-communist movement, and what kind of role that Kinmen played with the political and military forces that Taipei imposed on it.
Constructivism suggests that the structure of human relations is determined by shared ideas, rather than material forces, which suggests that the relations of international communities are inter-subjective, rather than materialistic. The major international events occurred in recent years that are closely related to Cross-Strait relations include the Korean War in 1950, the signing of “the Joint Defense Treaty” between the United States and Taiwan in 1954, and the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and China in 1979, which all restricted Cross-Strait relations. As for Cross-Strait events, the openness to relative visiting in 1987, the termination of the Period of National Mobilization for Suppression of the Communist Rebellion in 1991, and the abolition of Kinmen’s military administration in 1992 impacted the development of Cross-Strait relations as well as influenced the position and role played by Kinmen. In 2000, the Democratic Progressive Party came into power and implemented the policy of the “Mini Three Links” in 2001. In May 2008, after the Kuomintang returned to power, the Cross-Strait Direct Flights began, which affected Cross-Strait relations and the original role of Kinmen. The changes in these policies contributed to the transformation of Kinmen’s role, and these changes all originated from changes in the concepts of the nation or agents. Based on such awareness, with the framework of constructivism, this study investigated the changes in international relations, Cross-Strait relations, and the role of Kinmen caused by changes in concepts and the identification of state actors, according to the above time point references.
Since Kinmen’s military administration was terminated in 1992, the local government and the local residents have gradually begun to seek self-positioning of Kinmen. Over the past decade, this subjective force was continually expressed through the resistance to outdated central policies by striving for the termination of military administration, the openness to tourism, and the abolition of the Kinmen-Matzu Pacification Regulations. Recently, the most representative activities included the Kinmen-Xiamen “Mini Three Links,” “Kinmen-Xiamen living area,” and “Kindeng Bridge”, as promoted by the government and the local residents. This study suggested that Kinmen is an asset for developing Cross-Strait relations, and proposed the views of the position and the role of Kinmen in the future. In addition, it also indicated the possible influences that the construction of the “Kinmen-Xiamen living area” may have on the development of Cross-Strait relations.
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