座談會
十字路口的中國研究：國關中心座談聚焦中國研究與學科間對話 China Studies at a Crossroads: IIR Forum Highlights Cross-Disciplinary Dialogue
十字路口的中國研究：國關中心座談聚焦中國研究與學科間對話
China Studies at a Crossroads: IIR Forum Highlights Cross-Disciplinary Dialogue
國關中心持續舉辦「臺灣的中國研究現況、優勢與挑戰」系列座談，第四場於4月11日舉行，由國關中心主任王信賢教授與曾偉峯副研究員共同主持，邀請臺大國發所周嘉辰副教授與中央研究院政治所吳文欽研究員與談。兩位與談人結合自身經驗與觀察，深入剖析中國研究在臺灣的知識處境、實證挑戰與理論互動，並提出未來發展的可能方向。
開場中，王信賢主任指出，本系列座談旨在盤點臺灣中國研究的挑戰與優勢，期盼集結各界經驗與觀察，理解中國研究學者所面對的挑戰與轉變。希冀以國關中心作為平台，匯集具建設性的反思與建議，做為未來臺灣中國研究向前發展提升貢獻的基礎。
周嘉辰分享過去參與美國中國研究學群所辦理的相關研討會之觀察，指出即便美國學界面臨田野困難，仍積極調整方法並重構研究問題。她認為政治學與區域研究兩者並無衝突，學術的核心仍在於如何發展出新的議題以及蒐集獨特的經驗資料。她建議臺灣一個優勢在於可聚焦蒐集「在陸台人」的多元經驗，包括台幹、台生、基層工作者等，從其視角切入中國社會實況，發展出臺灣獨特的資料優勢。
吳文欽則指出，為了因應赴中田野受限與官方資料越發封閉的趨勢，當前中國研究發展出三個因應策略：一為聚焦網路資料與媒體報導的文本分析；二為轉向歷史與菁英政治研究；三為透過民調技術投放中國境內問卷。他強調，儘管網路民調存在抽樣與代表性等爭議，但在資料匱乏下仍是一種突破性做法。他認為臺灣中國研究未必需要自成一格，成立一個平台構築各領域臺灣中國研究學者之網絡，彼此激盪新的研究想法，或許更可以發展出臺灣自身的優勢。
曾偉峯認為，雖然目前無法如過往進行深入田野，但中國政體的變化與治理模式的重構，反而開啟新的研究問題與比較視角。例如中國政府對港澳台居民政策作為，若能輔以 GIS 或問卷工具，將有助於結合制度分析與社會面向的研究。他也指出，習時代帶來的「新鮮感紅利」，或許跟過去中國改革開放一樣，再次為中國研究注入新的學術活力，或許可以成為凝聚社群與促進理論創新的契機。
本場座談不僅回應中國研究的現況限制，也嘗試從中尋找知識創新的突破口，以及探討當前臺灣中國研究學者社群的界線與發展。王信賢主任總結指出，臺灣中國研究歷史悠久，不過學術世代的變遷已使當前臺灣中國研究學群呈現不同面貌，過去中國研究學群有持續在反思並試圖找出獨特性，然而由於資源限制與世代交替，成效往往有限。國關中心希望可以持續建構對話平台，在延續臺灣中國研究的傳統下，建立並鞏固學群網絡，進而強化其影響力。國關中心將持續就此議題進行對話與反思，希望對臺灣中國研究的可持續性與創新性提出更多的策進作為。
On April 11, the Institute of International Relations (IIR) held the fourth session of its forum series titled “The Current State of China Studies in Taiwan: Challenges and Opportunities.” Hosted by IIR Director Hsin-Hsien Wang and Associate Research Fellow Wei-Feng Tzeng, this session featured National Taiwan University Associate Professor Chelsea Chia-Chen Chou and Academia Sinica Institute of Political Science Research Fellow Wen-Chin Wu. Drawing on their experiences and observations, the two speakers offered in-depth analysis of the epistemological challenges, empirical limitations, and theoretical dialogues currently facing China studies in Taiwan, and proposed directions for future development.
In his opening remarks, IIR Director Wang outlined the aim of this discussion series to examine the challenges and strengths of China studies in Taiwan. He hopes to bring together cross-disciplinary experiences and insights, using IIR as a platform for condensing constructive reflections and recommendations for the advancement of Taiwan’s China studies.
Professor Chou shared her observations from participating in China studies-related academic conferences in the United States, noting that even though U.S.-based scholars face significant obstacles in conducting fieldwork, they have actively adapted their methods and restructured research questions. She emphasized that in both political science and area studies, the core academic mission remains in developing new research questions and gathering unique empirical data. She suggested that Taiwan’s advantage lies in focusing on the diverse experiences of Taiwanese living in China, such as businesspeople, students, and workers. Viewing Chinese society from their perspectives may help develop a distinctive data advantage for Taiwan.
Research Fellow Wu noted that in response to fieldwork restrictions and increasingly inaccessible official data, three main strategies have emerged in contemporary China studies: (1) textual analysis of online content and media reporting; (2) a shift toward historical and elite politics research; and (3) the use of polling techniques to administer surveys inside China. While acknowledging concerns over sampling and representativeness in online polling, he argued that this still represents a breakthrough method given the current scarcity of data. Wu emphasized that Taiwan’s China studies need not be insular or self-contained. Rather, building a networked platform for cross-field collaboration among Taiwan-based China scholars may be a more fruitful avenue for developing Taiwan’s comparative advantage.
Research Fellow Tzeng remarked that, although it is no longer possible to conduct deep fieldwork as it was in the past, shifts in China’s political system and governance model have also opened some new directions for research questions and comparative angles. For example, Chinese government policies toward Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan residents, if analyzed with tools like GIS or survey analysis tools, could facilitate research that integrates institutional analysis with social perspectives. He also pointed out that the “freshness dividend” brought about by the Xi era—akin to that of the Reform and Opening-up period—might once again inject new academic vitality into China studies and offer a renewed opportunity for community-building and theoretical innovation.
In his concluding remarks, Director Wang noted that Taiwan retains some long-standing traditions in analytical China studies, but that generational shifts have created a very different current scholarly landscape. The IIR hopes to continue fostering a platform for dialogue that both carries on the strengths of Taiwan’s China studies tradition and consolidates its scholarly networks, thereby enhancing the field’s overall influence. IIR will continue to promote discussion and reflection on these issues, and work toward proposing new strategies to support the sustainability and innovation of Taiwan’s China studies.
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