務實外交發展至今已有十年時間，依照其間發展的變化，可以分成初始 形成、國際行動、和鞏固邦交三個時期。在面對國際環境迅速變動以及中共對我外交進行全 面圍堵的發展情勢下，目前務實外交已面臨空前的挑戰和勢需改變的抉擇。然而，當前的「 戰鬥外交」和「外交休兵」主張，皆存在邏輯推論和經驗應證的問題。或許吾人可從國際關 係現實主義、制度主義、和認知理論等角度，來協助增加外交決策的思維空間。

　　　　　It has been ten years since the Republic of China (ROC) adopted of pragmatic diplomacy. During this period, three stages of development can be distinguished in terms of its foreign policy practices: policy formation, international mobilization, and diplomatic consolidation. Due to the rise of the People's Republic of China's (PRC's) international influence and its increasing diplomatic offensive against Taiwan, the ROC's pragmatic diplomacy has confronted serious challenges, and new adjustments or alternatives must be made in order for it to survive in the more uncertain and hostile diplomatic environment. The current debate between "combative diplomacy" and "diplomatic conciliation" approaches with the PRC has not resulted in concrete answers, and each school of thought has its theoretical as well as empirical problems which cannot be easily solved. It is the author's view that we may need to go beyond debate and think from some theoretical perspectives of international relations, such as realism, institutionalism, and cognition theory, which could shed more light on Taiwan's diplomatic problems and offer new alternatives or policy choices for Taiwan's diplomacy.