美利堅合眾國於1979年在總統吉米卡特的領導下切斷了與台灣的官方外交關係。美國選擇這樣做是為了使與中華民國的外交關係正常化。然後，就像今天一樣，中國拒絕允許外交承認台灣，因為前者認為台灣是一個叛徒省。美國總統理查德尼克松和吉米卡特認為承認中國和終止承認台灣是合理的。這一決定發生在冷戰時期的美蘇競爭中。美國領導人認為這樣做是為了阻止蘇聯擴張和與共產主義中國的重新調整。無論從現實的角度來看，這個決定是否合理，在終止對一個長期盟友的認識時，存在許多道德問題/違規行為。美國國會將這些道德/道德問題作為自己的職責。國會不同意絕對放棄台灣。因此，美國國會起草了“與台灣關係法”，並於1979年4月將其通過成為法律。從1971年到1979年，正常化時期使台灣人民和領導人感到擔憂，官方切斷關係是毀滅性的。但是，“與台灣關係法”為美國繼續為該島繼續提供防禦能力提供了法律框架。今年是上述立法40週年。重新審視和分析美中台三角關係中的這一轉折點是一個審慎的時刻。

The United States of America severed official diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 1979 under president Jimmy Carter. The U.S. chose to do so in order to normalize diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. Then, as today, China refused to allow diplomatic recognition of Taiwan as the former saw the latter as a renegade province. U.S. presidents Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter decided it was rational to recognize China and derecognize Taiwan. This decision occurred in the Cold War context of U.S.-Soviet competition. The U.S. leadership deemed such a move necessary to thwart Soviet expansion and realignment with communist China. However rational the decision was in realist terms, there were many ethical issues/violations when it came to derecognizing a long-time ally. The U.S. Congress took on these moral/ethical issues as their duty. Congress disagreed with absolute abandonment of Taiwan. Therefore, the U.S. Congress drafted the Taiwan Relations Act and passed it into law in April of 1979. The normalization period worried the people and leaders of Taiwan from 1971-1979, and the official severing of ties was devastating. However, the Taiwan Relations Act provided a legal framework for the U.S. to continue supplying defensive capabilities to the island has continued to do so. This year is the 40th anniversary of said legislation. It is a prudent time to revisit and analyze this turning point in the U.S.-Taiwan-China triangular relationship.

Chapter 1 Introduction	1
1.1 Historical Background	1
1.2 Research Topic, Questions and Arguments	5
1.3 Research Motivation	8
1.4 Research Methodology	9
1.5 Research Limitations	10
1.6 Results	11
Chapter 2 English Language Literature Review	13
Chapter 3 Theoretical and Historical Analysis of U.S. Decision Making during Normalization	19
3.1 The Rational Actor Model (RAM)	19
3.2 Apply Model to U.S.-China Normalization Process’ Impact on Taiwan Defense	23
3.3 Historical Analysis of the Nixon Administration and the Shanghai Communiqué	25
3.4 Historical Analysis of the Carter Administration and the Joint Communiqué	30
3.5 Historical Analysis of Congress’ Decision to Create the Taiwan Relations Act	38
Chapter 4 Empirical Findings	43
4.1 Major Congressional Resolutions and Laws in Support of Taiwan’s Defense	43
4.2 U.S. Arms Sales from the U.S. to Taiwan 1971-1981	54
4.3 Conclusion Based on the Two Sources of Support for Taiwan’s Defense	56
Chapter 5 Conclusion	57

References	60
Appendix 1	62
Appendix 2	65
 

Table 1 1973-1974 Resolutions	45
Table 2 1975-1976 Resolutions	46
Table 3 1977-1978 Resolutions	47
Table 4 1979-1980 Resolutions	48

Figure 1 Main Arms Sales Categories from the U.S. to Taiwan 1971-1981	54
Figure 2 Total United States Arms Sales to Taiwan 1971-1981	55

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