外國投資與經濟國權：美國在華航空投資的挫敗1922-1930

Foreign investment and economic nationalism: American failure in the aviation market in China, 1922-1930

二十世紀初的中國受不平等條約束縛，龐大的市場成為列強瓜分的對象。幅員廣大的中國領土確實使得國內航空交通極具實用性與潛在商機。但如同其他受西方強權經濟侵略的國家一樣，中國的航空市場在中國政府積弱不振、缺乏資本的情形下，成為列強另一個覬覦的利權。中國的航空業在起步時不是民族工業，而必須依賴外資；航空產業的特色使得當時中國的航空政策無法自己作主，不僅僅受到外國商人利益考量的影響，更受到外國政府的操控。本研究可為政府與企業之間關係，和外商在華投資之個案研究。本文以一九二九年簽訂的中美航空郵政合同為例，見微知著，說明利益糾葛與外交政策對中國航空郵政初期發展的影響。 Air power, as a new technology in the early twentieth century, had become central to the international rivalry in China, which was unable to allocate sufficient capital. The Curtiss-Wright Corporation, an American aeronautic company, got the contract in 1929 and was ready to carry domestic airmail for the Nationalist government, in return for generous payment. In comparison to the weaker American transport investment, this contract might promote American business ascendancy in China. Control of air transport was also a great concern for the Nationalist government, which, following Sun Yat-sen, kept the opinion that economic nationalism would save the nation. But the Ministry of Railway and the Ministry of Transport competed for leadership. The airmail contract, in their opinion, was not only for carrying airmail but also for the dominance of the air transport industry in China. The operation of the Curtiss-Wright Corporation was brought into the Chinese political conflicts and the business became more complicated.