美臺關係具不對等及非官方之特性，這兩項特性限制美臺政經與軍事合作。本文建構美臺不對等合作的理念型運作流程，提出評估美臺合作的質性與量化指標。評估發現馬政府時期美臺政經與軍事合作，優於扁政府任內。本文指出，若臺灣挑戰美國政策底線、限制，或抗拒美國要求，將使美臺關係倒退。本文發現，美臺政治合作最易受負面影響；美臺經濟合作居次；在美國的戰略利益考量下，美臺軍事合作最不易受影響。

The two major features of the relationship between the U.S. and Taiwan are its being unequal and nonofficial. These two features constrain U.S.-Taiwan political, economic, and military cooperation. This research constructs two ideal type operational processes of U.S.- Taiwan unequal cooperation, and formulates qualitative and quantitative indicators for accessing it. By applying these indicators, this study evaluates U.S.-Taiwan political, economic and military cooperation from the time of the Chen Shui-bian administration to that of Ma Ying-jeou. The study finds that U.S.-Taiwan cooperation is much better during Ma's administration than that in Chen's. The author argues that if Taiwan challenged the U.S. policy constraints, bottomlines or declined U.S. demands, this would lead to a setback in the relationship between the U.S. and Taiwan. This study also finds that among the various forms of cooperation, political cooperation is most easily influenced by negative factors. Economic cooperation is the second most easily influenced form. Military cooperation is least easily influenced because of U.S. strategic interest considerations.