台灣加入聯合國天經地義

陳叔涵

 說到中國的政權格局，正確的態度應該是把大陸和台灣分開。這是客觀的事實，大陸政權和台灣政權是兩個完全不同性質的政權，無論是從法律、意識形態到政治經濟制度都是絕然不同的。所謂的中華人民共和國，其主權與領土只限於大陸，根本不涉及台灣，也不能代表台灣；同樣，如今中華民國的領土和主權也只限於台灣以及金馬澎湖列島。這就是當今海峽兩岸政權的客觀現實，任何人都不能否認。

若承認中國大陸是一個主權國家，那麼，同樣也必須承認台灣是一個主權國家，因為台灣具備所有主權國家的要素：領土、憲法、總統、軍隊、外交…儘管國際社會有很多國家口頭上不承認中華民國台灣政府，但是，他們用實際行動認可了中華民國台灣政府的合法性。他們甚至對中華民國公民比對中國大陸公民更加優待，如免簽證入境。所以，中華民國台灣早就已經是一個事實上的主權國家，不管承認與否 都是一種客觀的存在！

關於大陸政權在聯合國的席位，1971年聯合國大會第2758號決議本身就有語病：恢復中華人民共和國的合法權利…事實是中華人民共和國於1949年成立，在1971年之前，中華人民共和國未曾加入聯合國。既然從來沒有加入，就不存在恢復的說法。只能說1971年聯合國接受中華人民共和國成為其新會員，是中國大陸政權在聯合國的唯一合法代表，這才是符合事實的表述。因為到今天為止，中華人民共和國也沒有統治過台灣一天，它何以代表台灣呢？！

同樣的事實是：自1949年起，中華民國的領土與主權僅限於台灣以及金馬澎湖列島。1949-1971年大陸在中華人民共和國的控制之下，儘管這期間中華民國依舊是聯合國成員，但實際上已經不能代表中國大陸了！

聯合國應該接受的一個客觀的事實是：世界上只有一個中國，這個中國由兩部分構成，一部分是大陸，另外一部分就是台灣以及金馬澎湖列島。有鑑於此，根據聯合國憲章，台灣是完全有資格加入聯合國的，因為聯合國早就開了這樣的先例並且成了慣例！

聯合國接受世界上只有一個德國，同時也接受一個客觀的事實：這個德國由兩部分組成，東德和西德，東德和西德互不隸屬，是對等的政治實體，同為聯合國成員；同樣地，聯合國接受世界上只有一個朝鮮，同時也接受一個客觀事實：這個朝鮮由兩個部分組成，一部分是大韓民國，另外一部分是朝鮮民主主義人民共和國，兩個政治實體互不隸屬，均為聯合國成員。

更有甚者，在前蘇聯尚未解體時，烏克蘭和白俄羅斯都屬於前蘇聯。但是，聯合國接受世界上只有一個蘇聯，即便烏克蘭和白俄羅斯都屬於前蘇聯，烏克蘭和白俄羅斯仍然可以單獨加入聯合國，成為會員，讓前蘇聯在聯合國一國三票，這都是客觀存在的事實！

因此，聯合國完全沒有理由把中華民國台灣拒之於門外，這對台灣太不公平。況且，中華民國本來就是聯合國的創會成員國之一，雖然自1949年之後喪失了中國大陸的領土和主權，但是，中華民國退守台灣後依舊是一個實實在在的政治實體，作為台灣政權的唯一合法代表重返聯合國名正言順!

中華民國是繼承大清王朝領土與主權的合法政權，也曾經是代表整個中國的唯一合法政府，是世界反法西斯戰爭的一支重要力量，為世界和平以及人類進步事業做出了巨大貢獻。1946-1949年的中國內戰使中華民國失去了中國大陸的領土和主權，但其在台灣的領土和主權並未喪失。作為一個整體的中華民國是合法的，台灣是組成這個整體的一部分，就具有天然的合法性。這就好比一份合約，失效的部分可以不再信守、不再履行，但對於這份合約中的有效部分，則必須繼續信守和執行，這是普世的觀念與價值，也是文明社會廣泛接受的行為準則。

中共大陸政權沒有任何理由阻撓台灣加入聯合國。既然中共大陸政權曾經同時承認東德與西德，現在依舊同時承認南韓與北韓。南北韓同為聯合國成員，南北韓互不隸屬。雖然南北韓都各自聲稱自己擁有整個朝鮮的主權，卻都不是事實。同樣地，中國大陸與台灣也互不隸屬。中國大陸聲稱擁有台灣主權，只是聲稱，從未擁有過，不成事實。如果說聲稱有效力，那麼，中華民國台灣就更有底氣聲稱擁有整個中國的領土和主權，因為中華民國本來就曾經擁有過整個中國。如今，中華民國台灣尊重兩岸分治的客觀現實，也尊重中華民國喪失其大陸領土和主權的歷史事實，不再虛幻地聲稱什麼擁有大陸領土和主權，提出兩岸為互不隸屬的政治實體，這是務實且忠於歷史和尊重現實的政治認知，完全符合國際法的準則與慣例。中共國則不一樣，它從不遵守國際規則而只把自己的觀點強加於人，這就難免在國際上陷於孤立！

1949年以後，中華民國政府退居台灣，勵精圖治，經過七十多年的努力把台灣建設成一個文明、民主、富裕的國家，是亞洲憲政的楷模。同時，台灣在經濟與科技上取得的成就也舉世矚目。台灣人民享有高度的人權、自由、民主，這是中國大陸永遠無法企及的，聯合國既然能夠接受大陸這個專制且毫無人權可言的政權作為會員，有什麼理由拒絕一個文明且民主的政權入會呢？！

It's only right and proper for Taiwan to Join the United Nations

Chen Shuhan January 17, 2022 

When it comes to China’s political power structure, the correct attitude should be to separate the mainland and Taiwan. It is an objective fact that the mainland regime and the Taiwan regime are two completely different regimes in nature, whether in terms of law, ideology, or political and economic systems. The so-called People's Republic of China, whose sovereignty and territory are limited to the mainland, does not represent Taiwan at all and cannot represent Taiwan either; likewise, the territory and sovereignty of the Republic of China today are limited to Taiwan and the islands of Jinmen, Mazu, and Penghu. This is the objective reality of the regimes on both sides of the Strait today, and no one can deny it.  

If mainland China is recognized as a sovereign state, then Taiwan must likewise be recognized as a sovereign state because Taiwan has all the elements of a sovereign state: territory, constitution, president, military, diplomacy... Although many countries in the international community verbally do not acknowledge the government of the Republic of China in Taiwan, in practice they have accepted the legitimacy of the government of the Republic of China in Taiwan. They even treat ROC citizens more favorably than mainland Chinese citizens, e.g., visa-free entry to Taiwan passport holders. Therefore, the Republic of China in Taiwan has long been a de facto sovereign state, whether recognized or not, she is an objective existence!  

Regarding the seat of the mainland regime in the United Nations, the 1971 UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 itself is linguistically flawed: the restoration of the legitimate rights of the People's Republic of China... The fact is that the People's Republic of China was established in 1949 and had not joined the UN before 1971. Since it never joined, there is no such thing as restoration. One can only say that the UN accepted the PRC as its new member in 1971, the only legitimate representative of the mainland Chinese regime in the UN, and this is the expression that corresponds to the facts. How can the People's Republic of China represent Taiwan when it has not ruled Taiwan for a single day until today?!  

It is also a fact that since 1949, the territory and sovereignty of the Republic of China have been limited to Taiwan and the islands of Jinmen, Mazu, and Penghu. From 1949 to 1971 the mainland was under the control of the People's Republic of China, and although the Republic of China remained a member of the United Nations during this period, it could no longer represent mainland China indeed!

The United Nations should accept the objective fact that there is only one China in the world and that this China consists of two parts, one being the mainland and the other being Taiwan and the islands of Jinmen, Mazu, and Penghu. Because of this, Taiwan is fully qualified to join the United Nations according to the UN Charter, because the UN has set such a precedent actually and became a practice long ago! 

The United Nations accepts that there is only one Germany in the world, and at the same time accepts the objective fact that this Germany consists of two parts, East Germany and West Germany, which are non-subordinate, reciprocal political entities and members of the United Nations; similarly, the United Nations accepts that there is only one Korea in the world, and at the same time accepts the objective fact that this Korea consists of two parts, one is the Republic of Korea and the other is the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The two political entities are not subordinate to each other and both are members of the United Nations.  

What's more, both Ukraine and Belarus belonged to the former Soviet Union when the former Soviet Union was not yet dissolved. However, the United Nations accepts that there is only one Soviet Union in the world, and even if both Ukraine and Belarus belong to the former Soviet Union, Ukraine, and Belarus can still join the United Nations separately and become members, allowing the former Soviet Union three votes in one country in the United Nations, which are objective facts too!  

Therefore, there is absolutely no reason for the United Nations to shut out the Republic of China in Taiwan, which is too unfair to Taiwan! Moreover, the Republic of China was originally one of the founding members of the United Nations, and although it has lost its territory and sovereignty over mainland China since 1949, the Republic of China is still a real political entity after retreating to Taiwan, and as the sole legitimate representative of the Taiwan regime, it is only right to return to the United Nations!  

The Republic of China (ROC) was the legitimate regime that inherited the territory and sovereignty of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and was once the only legitimate government representing the whole of China. It had been a major force in the world war against fascism and made a great contributor to the cause of world peace and human progress. The Chinese Civil War of 1946-1949 caused the ROC to lose its territory and sovereignty in mainland China, but not its territory and sovereignty in Taiwan. The Republic of China as a whole is legitimate, and Taiwan has a natural legitimacy when it is part of that whole. This is like a contract, the invalid part can no longer be trusted and fulfilled, but the valid part of this contract, it must be duly honored and implemented as usual, which is a universal concept and value, and a widely accepted code of conduct in a civilized society.  

The Chinese Communist regime has no reason to obstruct Taiwan's membership in the United Nations. Since the Chinese Communist regime recognized both East Germany and West Germany, it still recognizes both South Korea and North Korea for the time being. Both North and South Korea are members of the United Nations, and North and South Korea are not subordinate to each other. Although both North and South Korea claim sovereignty over the whole of Korea, neither is true. Similarly, mainland China and Taiwan are not subordinate to each other. China's claim to sovereignty over Taiwan is just an empty claim, not a fact. If the claim can be taken as valid, then the Republic of China in Taiwan has more standing to claim the territory and sovereignty of all of China, because the Republic of China once owned all of China. Today, the Republic of China in Taiwan respects the objective reality of cross-strait partition and the historical fact that the Republic of China has lost its mainland territory and sovereignty, and no longer makes illusory claims to possess mainland territory and sovereignty, proposing that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are political entities that are not subordinate to each other. This political perception is pragmatic and faithful to history and it respects reality, which is fully consistent with the norms and practices of international law. Unlike the Chinese communist state, which never abides by international rules but only imposes its views on others, it is inevitably isolated in the international arena!  

After 1949, the government of the Republic of China retreated to Taiwan and worked hard for more than seven decades to build Taiwan into a civilized, democratic, and wealthy nation, a model of constitutional government in Asia. At the same time, Taiwan's economic and technological achievements have been world-renowned. The people of Taiwan enjoy a high degree of human rights, freedom, and democracy that mainland China will never be able to achieve. If the United Nations can accept an authoritarian regime of no human rights such as mainland China as a member, what’s the reason on earth to deny membership to a civilized and democratic state like Taiwan?