「台灣關係法」(TRA)的「台灣機構」(Taiwan Instrumentality, TI)指的是什麼?

          「台灣關係法」(TRA)的「台灣機構」(Taiwan Instrumentality, TI)指的是什麼?

一

關於法律與條約的解釋，是一門專門的學問，要對法律或條約進行解釋的人必須受過專業的訓練。

我們今天撰寫此文，主要的目的是要統一建州運動內部的思想，因為我們內部有一、兩位同志在在「台灣關係法」(TRA)的「台灣機構」(Taiwan Instrumentality, TI)這一部分的解釋出現分歧 ，至今無法取得共識。不過，由於本文也附帶地談了一些其他的問題，所以我們就公開發表，讓鄉親們也一起分享。

二

要解釋法律與條約，光是研讀條文是不夠的，但即使是研讀條文，也不是一件簡單的事，我們現在舉「日蔣台北和約」的第十條做為例子:

Treaty of Peace between the Republic of China and Japan
(Signed at Taipei, 28 April 1952;
Entered into force, 5 August 1952, by the exchange of the instruments of ratification at Taipei )

Article 10

For the purposes of the present Treaty, nationals of the Republic of China shall be deemed to include all the inhabitants and former inhabitants of Taiwan (Formosa) and Penghu (the Pescadores) and their descendents who are of the Chinese nationality in accordance with the laws and regulations which have been or may hereafter be enforced by the Republic of China in Taiwan (Formosa) and Penghu (the Pescadores); and juridical persons of the Republic of China shall be deemed to include all those registered under the laws and regulations which have been or may hereafter be enforced by the Republic of China in Taiwan (Formosa) and Penghu (the Pescadores).

光是要讀懂”For the purposes of the present Treaty, nationals of the Republic of China shall be deemed to include all the inhabitants and former inhabitants of Taiwan (Formosa) and Penghu (the Pescadores) and their descendents who are of the Chinese nationality”這一段文字，就非常不簡單，這不只是英文訓練的問題，還牽涉法律訓練的問題。

為什麼要寫”For the purposes of the present Treaty, -------- shall be deemed------“這幾個字?那是因為美國與日本都認為，台灣法律地位未定，中華民國雖然擁有對台灣與澎湖的施政權，但沒有擁有主權，原為日本帝國國民的台灣人以及他們的後裔並非中華民國的國民，但台灣人以及他們的後裔總不能是無國籍以及在國際旅行時肥沒有護照做為旅行證件之人，所以必須有權宜之計，必須作出政治安排，因而必須必須訂出這個條文，而且文字也必須這麼寫。如果當年美國與日本承認與接受中華民國對台澎的主權主張以及承認原為日本帝國國民的台灣人以及他們的後裔是中華民國的國民，那就不會出現”For the purposes of the present Treaty”這幾個字，而且”shall be deemed to include” 這幾個字就會被寫成”shall include”。

美國為了構築戰後的Pax Americana，所以在亞太地區打造了一個「舊金山和約體系」(SFPT System，「日蔣台北和約」與「美蔣共同防禦條約」是SFPT System的組成要素)，「台澎法律地位與歸屬未定」是Pax Americana的建築基石其中的一塊，美國在涉台事務中所有的法律與政治安排、文件與發言，基本上都不會出現漏洞，都會指向或展現「台澎法律地位與歸屬未定」這項安排。

三

在1999年，美國聯邦第九巡迴上訴法院對明台產物保險公司的上訴案件下達判決，法院對中華人民共和國所參加的國際條約做出對台灣沒有拘束力或不適用的判決。此外，該案的法官又說: “We caution, however, that we do not independently determine the stutus of Taiwan, instead, we merely recognize and defer to the political departments’ position that Taiwan is not bound by China’s adherence to the Warshaw Convention.”

大家可以讀到”We caution, -----that we do not independently determine the stutus of Taiwan-----“這幾個字，美國的司法部門與行政部門、立法部門一樣，至今都不願對台灣的法律地位與歸屬給予正面的、明確的解釋與界定，仍然持「台澎法律地位與歸屬未定」的見解與立場。

四

我們提到明台產物保險公司的上訴案件，主因是美國政府介入該案，司法部派出助理檢察長，國務院也派出法律顧問，一起向法院提出Brief ，在那件Brief中，我們發現有一些資訊可以用來說明台灣關係法(TRA)裡頭的「台灣機構 到底是什麼，也可以了解「台灣機構」設立的沿革。

我們先來讀TRA中有關的條文:The Taiwan Relations Act
22 USC， Chapter 48: Taiwan Relations
Section 10: Taiwan Instrumentality

(a) Establishment of instrumentality; Presidential determination of necessary authority
Whenever the President or any agency of the United States Government is authorized or required by or pursuant to the laws of the United States to render or provide to or to receive or accept from Taiwan, any performance, communication, assurance, undertaking, or other action, such action shall, in the manner and to the extent directed by the President, be rendered or provided to, or received or accepted from, an instrumentality established by Taiwan which the President determines has the necessary authority under the laws applied by the people on Taiwan to provide assurances and take other actions on behalf of Taiwan in accordance with this chapter.

(b) Offices and personnel
The President is requested to extend to the instrumentality established by Taiwan the same number of offices and complement of personnel as were previously operated in the United States by the governing authorities on Taiwan recognized as the Republic of China prior to January 1, 1979.

(c) Privileges and immunities
Upon the granting by Taiwan of comparable privileges and immunities with respect to the Institute and its appropriate personnel, the President is authorized to extend with respect to the Taiwan instrumentality and its appropriate personnel, such privileges and immunities (subject to appropriate conditions and obligations) as may be necessary for the effective performance of their functions.

五

現在我們來讀美國司法部派出的助理檢察長與國務院派出的法律顧問向法院提出的Brief:
No. 98-15088
In the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Mingtai Fire & Marine Insurance Co., Ltd.
Plaintiff-Appellant
v.
United Parcel Service, Inc., et al.
Defendants-Appellees
On Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of California

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

A1. Foreign Policy Background

Relations Between the United States and Taiwan.
When President Carter established diplomatic relations with
the People's Republic of China on January 1, 1979, he ended
diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan) . See
Taiwan, 128 F.3d at 714. The President did not, however,
recognize in the PRC a power to make its international agreements
and arrangements binding on Taiwan. To the contrary, the President determined that the United States would "maintain commercial, cultural and other relations
with the people of Taiwan without official government representation and without diplomatic relations ." President's Memorandum for All Departments and Agencies on Relations With People on Taiwan. (Dec.30, 1978), 44Fed. Reg.1075 (1979) To that end, the President declared that federal "[d]epartments and
agencies currently having authority to conduct or carry out
programs, transactions, or other relations with or relating to
Taiwan are directed to conduct and carry out those programs,
transactions, and relations" through an unofficial
instrumentality that would be created by statute. Ibid. The
President emphasized that "[e]xisting international agreements
and arrangements in force between the United States and Taiwan"
were not altered by the recognition of the PRC, but instead would
"continue in force and [would] be performed and enforced by
departments and agencies * * * through that instrumentality ."
Ibid. See generally New York Chinese TV Programs, Inc. v. U.E.
Enterprises,Inc ., 954 F.2d 847, 850-51 (2d Cir.), cert. denied,
506 U.S. 827 (1992).

The President's direction to continue separate relations
with Taiwan was codified in the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979,
Pub. L. No. 96-8, 93 Stat. 14, 22 U.S.C . § 3301 et seq. ("TRA").

This presidential memorandum was superseded by Exec . Order
No. 12,143 (June22, 1979), 44Fed. Reg.37,191 (1979),which was
in turn superseded by Exec. Order No. 13,014 (Aug. 15, 1996), 61
Fed. Reg. 42,963 (1996) .

In enacting this legislation, Congress sought "to promote the
foreign policy of the United States by authorizing the
continuation of commercial, cultural, and other relations between
the people of the United States and the people on Taiwan." 22
U.S.C . § 3301(a). See also Taiwan, 128 F.3d at 714; New York
Chinese TV, 954 F .2d at 851.

Under the TRA, these relations are to be conducted on behalf
of the United States by a nonprofit corporation called the
American Institute in Taiwan ("AIT" or "Institute"), see 22
U.S .C . § 3305(a), and on behalf of the people of Taiwan by an
instrumentality called the Taipei Economic and Cultural
Representative Office ("TECRO") (formerly known as the
Coordination Council for North American Affairs ("CCNAA")) . See
22 U.S.C. § 3309(a); Exec. Order No. 12,143 (June 22, 1979), 44
Fed . Reg . 37,191 (1979) (recognizing CCNAA as the instrumentality with authority to act on behalf of Taiwan) ; Exec. Order No. 13,014 (Aug. 15, 1996), 61 Fed. Reg. 42,963 (1996) (recognizing TECRO as CCNAA's successor) . See generally Taiwan, 128 F .3d at 714 (describing this background) .

最後一段指出: The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO)就是「台灣機構」，它以前被稱為 “The Coordination Council for North American Affairs (CCNAA)”。

六

現在我們來了解與設立「台灣機構」有關的總統行政命令:

卡特總統在他的”Memorandum for All Departments and Agencies on Relations with the People on Taiwan” (Dec. 30, 1978, 44 Fed. Reg. 1075 (1979))中指出，要與台灣建立非官方的關係，為了執行這個工作，得透過一個由立法產生的非官方機構(" through an unofficial instrumentality that would be created by statute) 。

因為這樣，所以國會就在後來制訂與通過的台灣關係法(TRA)裡頭創設了「美國在台協會」與「台灣機構」，稍後美國與台灣還簽署了一個”Agreement on Privileges, Exemptions and Immunities between the American Institute for Taiwan and the Coordination Council for North American Affairs”，雙方對 「台灣機構」的名稱取得共識。

卡特總統緊接著發佈了一項行政命令，該行政命令說: “the Coordination Council for North American Affairs is determined to be the unofficial instrumentality established by the people on Taiwan having the necessary authority under the laws”，明白指出「北美事務協調會」就是「台灣機構」。

Executive Order 12143--Maintaining unofficial relations with the people on Taiwan
(Source: The provisions of Executive Order 12143 of June 22, 1979, appear at 44 FR 37191, 3 CFR, 1979 Comp., p. 402, unless otherwise noted.)

In light of the recognition of the People's Republic of China by the United States of America as the sole legal government of China, and by the authority vested in me as President of the United States of America, by the Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law 96-8, 93 Stat. 14, 22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq., hereinafter referred to as "the Act"), and Section 301 of Title 3 of the United States Code, in order to facilitate the maintenance of commercial, cultural and other relations between the people of the United States and the people on Taiwan without official representation or diplomatic relations, it is hereby ordered as follows:

1-2. Specification of Laws and Determinations.

1-204. Pursuant to Section 10(a) of the Act, the Coordination Council for North American Affairs is determined to be the unofficial instrumentality established by the people on Taiwan having the necessary authority under the laws applied by the people on Taiwan to provide assurances and take other actions on behalf of Taiwan in accordance with the Act.

1-3. President's Memorandum of December 30, 1978.

1-301. This Order supersedes my memorandum of December 30, 1978 for all departments and agencies entitled "Relations With the People on Taiwan" (44 FR 1075). Agreements and arrangements referred to in paragraph (B) of that memorandum shall continue in force and shall be performed in accordance with the Act and this Order.

1996年，柯林頓總統簽署第12143號行政命令，該命令說: “the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (‘‘TECRO’’), formerly the Coordination Council for North America Affairs (‘‘CCNAA’’), is determined to be the instrumentality established by the people on Taiwan having the necessary authority under the laws” ，亦即“the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO,台北經濟文化代表處 )”成為新的「台灣機構」。

Executive Order 13014, 8/15/1996
61 Fed. Reg. 42963
(Federal Register
Vol. 61, No. 161)
Monday, August 19, 1996

Title 3—
The President Executive Order 13014 of August 15, 1996
Maintaining Unofficial Relations With the People on Taiwan

In light of the recognition of the People’s Republic of China by the United States of America as the sole legal government of China, and by the authority vested in me as President of the United States of America by the Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law 96-8, 22 U.S.C. 3301 et seq.) (‘‘Act’’), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, in order to facilitate the maintenance of commercial, cultural, and other relations between the people of the United
States and the people on Taiwan without official representation or diplomatic relations, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Sec. 2. Specification of Laws and Determinations.

2-203. Pursuant to section 10(a) of the Act, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (‘‘TECRO’’), formerly the Coordination Council for North America Affairs (‘‘CCNAA’’), is determined to be the instrumentality established by the people on Taiwan having the necessary authority under the laws applied by the people on Taiwan to provide assurances and take other actions on behalf of Taiwan in accordance with the Act. Nothing contained in this determination or order shall affect, or be construed to affect, the continued validity of agreements, contracts,
or other undertakings, of whatever kind or nature, entered into previously by CCNAA.

Sec. 3. President’s Memorandum of December 30, 1978.

3-301. Agreements and arrangements referred to in paragraph (B) of President Carter’s memorandum of December 30, 1978, entitled ‘‘Relations With the People on Taiwan’’ (44 FR 1075) shall, unless otherwise terminated or modified in accordance with law, continue in force and be performed in accordance with the Act and this order.

Sec. 4. General. This order supersedes Executive Order No. 12143 of June 22, 1979.

七

如果尚未完成立法程序的「台灣政策法案」最終完成立法，那麼「在台灣的治理當局」的「台灣機構」就會再度改名，屆時美國總統就會再發佈一項新的行政命令，以取代1996年柯林頓總統簽署的第12143號行政命令。

台灣建州運動發起人周威霖
David C. Chou
Founder, Formosa Statehood Movement
(an organization devoted in current stage to making Taiwan a territorial commonwealth of the United States)