本篇論文探討從一九八九至一九九七年兩岸高層外訪的趨勢與變化。研究方法是 根據臺北與北京官方公佈高層外訪資料， 登錄統計，藉以暸解在不同期間（ 1 ）兩岸高層 外訪的地區分布；（ 2 ）兩岸高層外訪的層級區別；以及（ 3 ）兩岸高層外訪無邦交國家 的次數差異。 主要發現包括以下三點：（ 1 ）臺北高層外訪重點在先進工業國家，成效主 要是發展實質關係，而非邦交關係； （ 2 ）臺北新建交國家的主要地區如非洲與中南美， 高層外訪並不頻繁，反而低於北美、歐洲與東亞，故臺北外交拓展地區與高層外訪頻率沒有 直接關連性； （ 3 ）兩岸高層外訪差異顯著，中共高層外訪人次與國家數目都高過臺灣， 但雙方外訪目的，並非單純為了外交競賽，而與全球經貿體系的依存關係有關。

　　　　　The paper proposes to examine the visiting activities made by high-level officals of Taiwan and China between 1989 and 1997. The research is based on data released by Taiwan's government and China's government. Major findings include the following points: (1) Most Taipei officials' visits are concentrated on the industrialized countries. Such visit is contributed to the development of substantial relations, not to the establishment of diplomatic relations between Taiwan and those countries. (2) There is no evidence that an increase in the frequency of Taipei's visits will cause an increase in the number of countries, who, as a result, would like to switch their recognition from China to Taiwan. (3) There are many differences in the frequency and distribution of the visits between Taiwan and China. Moreover, the purpose of going abroad by Taiwan and China's officials is also related to their commercial interdependence with other countries. That is to say, diplomatic rivalry is only one of the factors explaining those visiting activities.