台湾の前総統、李登輝氏が、ワシントンの米上院内施設で8日行われる「台湾憲法制定シンポジウム」で、台北からの映像回線を通じて演説する。関係筋が4日語ったもので、民主化された台湾の主権確立のため新憲法制定の必要性を訴え、米政界関係者に理解を求める。
このシンポジウムはワシントンの台湾系研究機関「台湾国際関係センター」（CTIR）が主催し、上院内の会議室で米上下院議員や学識経験者ら約250人が参加の予定だ。
台湾からは、辜寛敏・総統府資政（上級顧問）や姚嘉文・考試院長らが訪米し、シンポジウムに参加の予定。米側からは、ジェームズ・アワー元国防総省日本部長や元国務省中国専門家のヘリテージ財団研究員、ジョン・タシク氏ら中台問題に詳しい専門家が講演し、台湾の新憲法制定と米中台の関係について討議するという。
李氏は、米東部時間の8日午前（日本時間同日夜）に台北市内の中継会場から英語で、来賓として約30分間演説する。関係筋によれば、演説で李氏は、1946年に南京で制定された現行の憲法が台湾の現状にそぐわない点を軸に新憲法制定の必要を訴える。一方、独立問題と絡む「国名」「国歌」「領土」の新憲法での表記には、直接言及しない見通しだ。
李氏は1995年6月の非公式訪米で、母校の米コーネル大学でも講演している。
李氏は今年7月にスタートした「台湾制憲運動」の発起人代表で、陳水扁総統が昨秋打ち出した住民投票による2006年の「新憲法」制定と08年施行の方針実現に向けた世論形成を進めている。運動の推進リーダー、黄昭堂・総統府国策顧問は、「押しつけではない独自の新憲法を台湾住民が民主的に制定することと台湾独立論議に関係はない」と話し、新憲法制定が中国の武力行使を招くとの国際社会の懸念を除きたい考えだ。（10月5日・産経新聞朝刊）
Lee defends constitutional reform plan
The former president told a group of US academics and officials that he beleived it was time to change the Constitution and talked about Taiwan’s sovereignty
By Caroline Hong and Jewel Huang
STAFF REPORTERS
Saturday, Oct 09, 2004,Page 1
Former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) yesterday evening gave a speech in English to US officials and academics who were in Washington via a videoconference, in which he said it was high time to “save Taiwan” by writing a new constitution, and that sovereignty issues are the main flaws with Taiwan’s Constitution.
“This Constitution does not meet the needs of present day Taiwan. In fact, it is completely out of date, not practical, not reasonable and not suitable,” Lee said yesterday night, saying that the current “Constitution of the Republic of China” as promulgated in 1947 still claims to include the territories and the people of both China and Mongolia, in addition to Taiwan.
“A constitution is the supreme legal manifestation of national sovereignty. Taiwan’s Constitution must be made collectively by the 23 million people of Taiwan in order to be suitable to this island nation. This new constitution must be able to protect our own national sovereignty, but at the same time, not infringe upon the sovereignty of other nations,” Lee said.
Staunchly upholding his belief in a democratic Taiwanese nation, Lee said that the current Constitution is a barrier to an accurate portrayal of Taiwan’s national identity and people, and affirmed his long-lasting support for a change of Taiwan’s national title.
“The `Republic of China’ is an obstacle to the normalization of Taiwan as a country and an unsuitable title, one that our people cannot use in the international community. Taiwan is Taiwan — a name that matches the reality. A new Taiwanese constitution must move in this course in order to have lasting relevance,” said Lee yesterday.
“The fictitious title of the Republic of China must be abandoned so as not to infringe upon China’s sovereignty. Likewise, Taiwan must insist upon and protect its own sovereignty,” Lee said, implying that peaceful relations with China, and Taiwanese participation in the international scene, can only begin when negotiations are held between China and Taiwan under terms of mutual respect for each others’ sovereignty.
At a time when the Taiwanese people have increasingly come to realize the importance of their national identity and take pride in Taiwan’s history, Taiwan should enact a new constitution to codify and safeguard its newfound democracy, Lee said.
Lee said that the Constitution must be rewritten, for there are too many flaws with the current version to be amended, Lee said.
Praising the maturity of Taiwan’s democratic state, Lee also stressed that a push for a new constitution would allow the people to participate in Taiwan’s political reform.
“Under Taiwan’s new democratic system, the process of drafting and adopting a new constitution would be discussed and debated openly by all the people. This would show the world that Taiwan is truly democratic,” said Lee yesterday.
At the end of his speech yesterday, Lee urged that a new constitution is also fundamental to upholding Taiwan’s democracy.
“Having a new constitution is a goal of the people of Taiwan; it is also the right of a democratic citizenry and a basic human right. We hope that our friends in the democratic community can understand and support us,” Lee said.
Lee’s speech was the opening of the symposium held at the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington organized by the Taiwan-based groups Center for Taiwan International Relations and Action for a Taiwanese Constitution. The symposium was named Taiwan’s Constitutional Reform and US-Taiwan-China Relations, and included many US-based Asian specialists, officials and people who are concerned about Taiwan’s new constitution to participate.（2004年10月09日付・TaipeiTimes）
