Sun, Apr 24, 2022 page3

• Old treaties show sovereignty: experts

  ‘SEPARATE NATIONS’: You Si-kun said that the principle of popular sovereignty and the charters of the UN clearly show that Taiwan’s sovereignty belongs to its people

  • By Jason Pan / Staff reporter
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  The provisions of two treaties show that Taiwan’s sovereignty is not subordinate to China, but belongs to the people of this nation, Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃) said at an event in Taipei yesterday, while academics said that creating a new constitution and gaining UN membership are important steps.

  You delivered the keynote address at an academic conference marking the “70th Anniversary of the Treaty of San Francisco and the Treaty of Taipei,” which was organized by Academia Historica, the Taiwan New Century Foundation and the Taiwanese Society of International Law.

  The San Francisco and Taipei documents were signed in their respective cities on Sept. 8, 1951 (by Japan and the Allied forces), and on April 28, 1952 (by Japan and China) to deal with Japanese issues following World War II.

  

  Legislative Speaker You Si-kun speaks at a conference in Taipei yesterday to mark 70 years since the ratification of the Treaty of San Franciso and the signing of the Treaty of Taipei.

  Photo: CNA

  Under the Treaty of San Francisco, which came into force in 1952, Japan renounced its rights to Taiwan and Penghu, while leaving the areas’ legal status undetermined, to be resolved at a later time under the principles of self-determination and the peaceful settlement of disputes, You said.

  “The treaty did not stipulate Taiwan’s sovereignty, nor which government would take over,” he said. “So we can unequivocally say Taiwan and Penghu islands do not belong to China.”

  “Under the principle of popular sovereignty and the charters of the United Nations, it is clear that Taiwan’s sovereignty belongs to all the people of Taiwan,” he said. “Taiwan and China are separate countries, and not subordinate to each other.”

  Taiwanese, including the nation’s officials, should state as fact that Taiwan is a separate country and does not belong to China, he said.

  Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and Russian President Vladimir Putin met on Feb. 4 and in a joint declaration, Xi repeated the claim that “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China’s territory,” You said, adding that people must reject this fabrication.

  “These two treaties are important for their historic significance and as a legal basis to deal with Taiwan’s postwar sovereignty issues and our international status,” You said.

  “Both treaties are peace agreements, officially ending World War II, and they help clarify Taiwan’s legal status in the international community,” he said.

  Academia Historica president Chen Yi-shen (陳儀深) said that after martial law ended in Taiwan, the nation experienced a huge transformation, with people demanding democracy and free elections, while there were efforts to have national independence recognized, including by joining the UN.

  Chen said that it is important to remember the legacies of former presidents Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) — who espoused a “two-state concept” for the special relationship between Taiwan and China — and Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) — who had a political doctrine of “one country on each side,” emphasizing that Taiwan and China are different countries, separated by the Taiwan Strait.

  A majority of Taiwanese support the two concepts, and given Taiwan’s democratic transformation, the nation has evolved to gain all the requirements of an independent country, he said.

  “It naturally follows that the people of Taiwan should demand a seat at the United Nations,” he said.

  Taiwan New Century Foundation chairman Chen Lung-chu (陳隆志) spoke via video link from the US.

  Although Taiwan has transformed into an independent and sovereign country, it is still not a normal country, as it is still under the political framework of the Republic of China, which is a delusional name, he said.

  “We need to create a new constitution for Taiwan to become a normal country,” he said. “The nation’s name must be enshrined in the new constitution. Under its articles, we must write that Taiwan is a nation that pursues peace and freedom, and United Nations membership, including all of its affiliated organizations and agencies.”
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