「中國」這兩個字在十九世紀之前一直只是一個文化上、歷史上或地理上的名詞，雖然在民族心理上具有「對外自許」的意義，但並不是具有近代國家意義的名詞。「一個中國」之所以會是個問題，是在繼受西方以主權國家維新所建構的國際法體系的氛圍，與傳統「天朝心態」的世界觀激盪中，由冷戰時期的美蘇之間二極對立的國際體系政治現實外環境所形塑，而內環境上則是國共內戰遺留下來的歷史問題，東西、內外地錯綜複雜地逐步形成、深化。從兩岸目前的分裂、分治的現實，要走上國家整合、統一的道路，一方面應從傳統主權觀的繼受法制氛圍中解放出來，同時中國大陸的「一國兩制」從提出到今天都欠缺 「制度性的具體內容」。唯有兩岸共同分擔維護臺海和平、國家整合的共同責任，才能務實而有助於國家整合、兩岸統一。

　　　　　"China," was a term referring to cultural, historical as well as geographical contexts before the nineteenth century. In terms of ethnicity, although "One China" manifests a self-respect (對外自許) meaning by and large, it has not met the political and legal requirements of a modern country. As we examine the debate, the issue of "One China" was an outburst actually formed when Western countries have gone through the stage of acquiring independent; and the long existing Chinese self-arrogance was a barrier when this issue was discussed as well. Looking it from the external perspective, "One China" is a political result carried from the time when the United States and Soviet Union were on the opposite poles of the international system during the period of Cold War. From the internal perspective, this problem was a historical tumor produced by the civil war between the KMT and the Chinese Community Party that coincided with the deepening gap between East and West. So far, the political reality is that the two sides remain separate. In order to approach the goal of reunification, both governments shall strive to emancipate themselves from the ideological confinement created by the traditional view of sovereignty. In addition, Mainland China should also implement the specifications of the so-called "One country. Two systems" that the Chinese government has proposed. Only when the Chinese across the Taiwan Strait take both the responsibilities of maintaining peace of the strait as well as trying to encourage cooperation among their citizens, can the expectation of reunification be truly fulfilled.