For Immediate Release
Washington DC – March 14, 2005
Contact: (202) 547-3686
FAPA strongly condemns the “Anti-Secession Law” vowing to seek Congressional Support to counter the Chinese Anti-Secession Law
FAPA today strongly condemns the passage of the Anti-Secession Law by China’s National People’s Congress. The law unnecessarily heightens the cross-strait tension, provokes U.S. interests in the region, and erroneously defines Taiwan as part of China. This law has created a legal framework, paving the way for ultimately a Chinese military attack against Taiwan. FAPA urges the U.S. Congress, the Administration and the international community to strongly condemn the “Anti-Secession Law” and demand that China publicly renounces the use of force against Taiwan.
It is seen as a wrong move by FAPA that the Chinese government uses the word “secession”, allegedly an inspiration stemming from the U.S. civil war in the 1860s. By evoking the history of the civil war, China attempts to attract support from the U.S. Judging from the reactions from U.S. scholars, Members of Congress and government officials, the Chinese government obviously misreads the public mood. For anyone who has a basic knowledge of the U.S.-Taiwan-China relationship would easily agree that there is no parallel between the U.S. civil war and the current situation in the Taiwan Strait. Moreover, the loss of lives and the damage the Civil War caused to the U.S. economy during the civil war left a permanent scar on generations of Americans. This move by the Chinese only alienates the Americans further.
The claim of the “Anti-Secession Law” that Taiwan is part of China ignores the current reality in the Taiwan Strait. It contradicts the status quo and negates the fact that Taiwan is a de facto independent country. It is also a direct violation of U.S. policy that simply acknowledges the Chinese position on Taiwan but does not take position on Taiwan’s sovereignty as reconfirmed in President Reagan’s “Six Assurances.” The “Anti-Secession Law” that characterizes China’s ownership of Taiwan’s sovereignty contradicts U.S. policy.
FAPA believes that the Anti-Secession Law also seriously threatens the national interests of the U.S. in the region. Section 8 in the “Anti-Secession Law” irrevocably gives China the right to unilaterally change the status quo. It also reaffirms Chinese determination to use force against Taiwan and creates a legal framework for Chinese unification through force. Section 8 which lists three conditions for China to launch non-peaceful methods against Taiwan clearly indicates that it is up to Chinese interpretation to determine what actions that Taiwan will undertake will constitute a reason to attack Taiwan. It gives China the right to unilaterally define and change the status quo. It also contradicts U.S. long-term policy and seriously threatens the U.S. regional security interests.
As Robert Kagan from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace pointed out in his recent op-ed in the Washington Post, the three conditions listed in Section 8 in the Chinese “Anti-Secession Law” means all of the above – whether Taiwan declares independence or not, as long as Taiwan refuses to submit to the communist rule, China will have the right to attack Taiwan. When the U.S. is obliged to help Taiwan sustain its self-defensive capability, based on the Taiwan Relations Act, FAPA worries that the “Anti-Secession Law” which allows China to unilaterally define the conditions for a war in the Taiwan Strait, raises the chances of U.S. involvement in such a war.
FAPA President Ming-chi Wu said, “FAPA has been making the rounds on Capitol Hill. We have suggested to several Members of Congress to hold a press conference, publicly and together condemning this provocative action by the Chinese. We will also suggest to Members of Congress that they take concrete actions, such as passing legislation to support Taiwan’s democracy, reaffirm U.S. commitment to Taiwan’s security and emphasize a peaceful resolution for the future of Taiwan that has the express consent of the 23 million of people of Taiwan.”
Wu concludes, “The mere existence of Taiwan’s democracy is a thorn in the China’s thigh and a roadblock on China’s reunification agenda. Only by standing with Taiwan and demanding that China publicly renounces the use of force against Taiwan will the international society see an eventual peace in the Taiwan Strait.”
反分裂國家法為武力犯台舖路，FAPA將建議美國國會，採取相關因應措施
FAPA今天強烈讉責中國人大會通過「反分裂國家法」，因為此法不僅昇高台海緊張情勢，嚴重挑釁美國在東亞的國家安全利益，更蓄意將台灣劃為中國的一部份，為日後武力犯台合法化與合理化。FAPA在此呼籲美國朝野各界以及國際社會一同讉責中國的「反分裂國家法」，並施壓中國，要求中國公開宣佈放棄武力犯台。
中國使用secession一字來描述「反分裂國家法」，其靈感來自美國南北戰爭；FAPA認為中國這個想法，其實是誤判形勢，誤認為以這個美國人人皆知的歷史為基礎，便較容易得到美國的支持。殊不知，這樣的比喻反而引起美國朝野各界的反感，因為任何對台海問題稍有瞭解的人士，都知道台海今天的情勢與十九世紀的南北戰爭可以說是南轅北轍，背景完全不同，而且南北戰爭帶來的生命、財產的損失，無法估計，難怪至今無法得到美國的認同。
FAPA表示，「反分裂國家法」擅自將台灣的主權定位於隸屬於中國之下，不僅荒謬，有違台海現狀，且完全否定台灣為一獨立於中國之外主權國家的事實，更有違美國政策。美國對台灣主權的政策，一直是僅僅停留在「認知」中國立場的階段；雷根總統的「六項保證」中也再度重申美國並沒有正式承認中國對台灣擁有主權。中國的「反分裂國家法」擅自將台灣主權劃為中國之下，明顯地與美國政策相衝突。
FAPA認為，「反分裂國家法」裡的第八點明顯地給予中國有權片面改變台海現狀、證明中國以武力解決台灣前途的意圖、並使中國「以武逼統」的口號與手段合法化。尤其第八點裡所列舉的三個條件，擺明了北京當局將有權決定台灣那些舉動符合中國對台灣出兵的條件，等同於中國擁有片面改變台海現狀的權利，這與美國長期的政策相互衝突，更嚴重威脅到美國在東亞的區域安全利益。誠如卡內基國際和平智庫學者Robert Kagan日前於華郵著文表示，第八點裡的三個條件根本就是「以上皆是」，不管台灣有沒有宣佈獨立，只要台灣拒絕屈服於中國共產統治之下，中國就有權利攻打台灣。當美國因台灣關係法有協助台灣自我防衛的義務時，中國藉由「反分裂國家法」擅自訂定發動台海戰事的條件，將大幅提高美國捲入台海戰爭的可能性，這也是為什麼美國各界會有如此強烈反應的主因。
FAPA認為，當前台海兩岸需要的是積極、平等、友善的對話，而不是一個意圖以武力併呑台灣的法律。身為台美人，FAPA強烈讉責中國的反分裂國家法，因為它不僅威脅台海現狀，更與美國政策以及國家利益背道而馳。
FAPA會長吳明基表示：「近日來，美國國會不分黨派均一致地強烈抨擊中國通過『反分裂國家法』的舉動。如今中國人大會無異議通過這個法律，我們預計美國國會將有更高分貝的抗議行動。」吳明基接著表示：「FAPA已經在近日內積極接觸多位議員辦公室，建議國會議員們召開記者會，公開聯合讉責中國這個挑釁的舉動；此外，我們也將建議美國國會以通過決議案的具體方式，肯定台灣蓬勃發展的民主制度，重申美國對台灣安全的承諾，以及強調美國政策為台灣前途終須和平解決，並獲得台灣二千三百萬人的同意。」吳明基最後表示：「台灣的民主是阻撓中國完成統一大業的眼中釘；只有美國朝野各界與國際社會堅定支持台灣，並施壓中國，要求中國公開宣佈放棄武力犯台，才是杜絕中國以武力片面解決台灣前途的有效之道。」
