本文主要的目的在回顧台灣學界研究中共外交時，應用理論的現況，檢視其優缺點，並嘗試提出未來的研究方向。本研究的初步結果發現，台灣學界致力於透過理論進行中共外交研究的努力，在整體大陸研究學界並未形成主流，比較多的是政策研究，以及持續沿用較為廣義的現實主義（國家利益）架構。多年來，雖有學者陸續引進嚴謹的結構現實主義、自由制度主義、建構主義與批判性（反思性）國關理論，但此類案例文獻仍為數不多，學界透過國關理論的選擇與中共外交研究對話的深入性探索，仍有很大的發展空間。本文建議將來的議題可包括結合中國特色與國際比較、全球化下的地方對外行為、經濟互賴與衝突之間的關係、國際規範的遵循、能源與對外行為。

The main purpose of this essay is to review and evaluate the application of international relations (IR) theory to the study of Chinese foreign policy in Taiwan. In addition, it has provided some research directions for future study in this field. A broad survey of most works on Chinese foreign policy and IR theory in Taiwan suggests that policy oriented studies and basic national interest approach rather than serious theoretical discourse have dominated the study of this field. Despite some scholars on Chinese foreign policy in Taiwan have attempted to apply structural realism, liberal institutionalism, constructivism, and reflectivism to describe and explain Chinese foreign policy behaviors, the quantities remain limited. Future study should involve issues where the integration of Chinese foreign policy analysis with theory of international relations could benefit both. This study suggests that future directions for studying Chinese foreign policy and IR theory could include the comparison of Chinese foreign policy behavior with Chinese characteristics and IR theory, local government’s external relations under globalization, relationship between economic interdependence and conflict, energy and China’s foreign relations.