決策過程是外交政策系統研究中一個極重要的部分，本文旨在對鄧小平時期中共 決策過程進行系統性分析，透過相關資料的匯整與推論，推演出此時期中共外交決策的三種 模式：領袖主導決策模式、領導集體決策模式及官僚組織決策模式。期於不同的議題內容與 議題重要性，不同的外交政策係透過不同的決策模式制訂，議題的重要性主要是依賴高層領 導的判斷。一般而言，鄧小平時期，攸關國家安全、外交政策總方針、基本政策及被最高領 導人視為具極重大利益的議題，多採領袖主導決策模式制訂，最高領導人鄧小平、重要元老 、中央政治局常委，在決策中扮演重要的角色，獨立自主外交政策是典型的案例；僅次於最 高外交政策方針、原則的重大政策，或是具體的最高方針政策，一般多採領導集體決策模式 制訂，中共中央政治局常委、一九八０年至一九八七年時的中共中央書記處成員，以及一九 八七年以後的中共中央政治局委員及政治局常委，在決策中探演重要的角色，懲越戰爭決策 是其中典型的案例；其他屬於較次要的議題、事務性政策、較不重要國家的雙邊關係等，多 係採官僚組織決策模式，中共中央外事領導小組成員、國務院常務會議成員、相關部委首長 ，扮演重要的角色，對外經濟援助則是其中的案例。後鄧小平時期，由於江澤民仍難掌有實 質中共最高領導人地位，因此，領導集體決策模式是後鄧時期中共重大外交政策的主要決策 模式，而隨著外交專業成員的日受重視，官僚組織決策模式的重要性可能會有所增強。

　　　　　This paper attempts to analyze the decision-making patterns of China's foreign policy and argues that there are three patterns in Deng's China: leader in command, collective leadership, and bureaucratic organization. Which pattern dominates depends on the issue area and issue importance. In general, the issues of national security, major foreign policy guidelines, and other improtant policy issues always follow the leader in command pattern, most notably by Deng Xiaoping, the key elders, and the members of the Politburo Standing Committee. Secondary foreign policy issues and the most important practical issues have traditionally followed the collective leadership pattern. The members of the Politburo Standing Committee, the Central Secretariat from 1980-1987, and the Politburo after 1987 played important roles in this process. Other issues of a less pressing and more practical nature, such as relations with less important nations, have always followed the bureaucratic organization pattern. Here, the members of the Central Foreign Affairs Leading Group, the Executive Meeting of the State Council, and the heads of related ministries all have played important parts in the policy process. In the post-Deng era, however, as Jiang Zeming is not viewed as the preeminent leader, the leader in command pattern is being replaced by the collective leadership pattern as the best explanatory model of foreign policy-making.