Scholar Xue Huayuan: The San Francisco Peace Treaty did not specify that Taiwan’s sovereignty would be transferred to other countries. Taiwan’s status should be determined by the people.

The signing of the "San Francisco Peace Treaty" will celebrate its 75th anniversary on the 8th. Xue Huayuanjin, a joint professor at the Institute of Taiwan History and the Department of History at National Chengchi University, said on the 5th that the "San Francisco Peace Treaty" only stated that Japan gave up its sovereignty over Taiwan and Penghu, but it did not specify that Taiwan's sovereignty would be transferred to other countries. He believes that "Taiwan's status is determined by the Taiwanese people" is the most critical solution.

The Taiwan Alliance held a symposium this morning on "The 75th Anniversary of the San Francisco Peace Treaty - Defense of Taiwan's Sovereignty Under International Law." Faced with China's belief that Taiwan had been returned to China after the war, Xue Huayuan pointed out that the "Cairo Declaration" issued in 1943 was not a treaty under international law, but an expression of political intention to deal with Japan's territory after the war. It had nothing to do with substantive legal norms. Moreover, the Cairo Declaration was not signed, and even if it was signed, it would not have the effect of international law.

Xue Huayuan said that even if the Kuomintang government recognizes the "Cairo Declaration", the British government has written to the Ambassador of the Republic of China to the UK stating that the "Cairo Declaration" itself cannot transfer Taiwan's sovereignty from Japan to China. It must wait for the conclusion of a peace treaty with Japan or other formal diplomatic procedures. Therefore, although it is a fact that the Nationalist Government rules Taiwan, the British government cannot agree that Taiwan has become part of the territory of the Republic of China.

Xue Huayuan continued that it was not until 1950 when U.S. President Truman issued the "Declaration on Neutrality of the Taiwan Strait" that "Taiwan's status was undecided" was officially recognized, so that the United States had room to intervene. Otherwise, if Taiwan was considered Chinese territory, U.S. intervention in the Taiwan Strait would be an interference in China's internal affairs. Therefore, the Taiwan issue must be internationalized and must not be domesticized. Domesticization will be hopeless.

As for the San Francisco Peace Treaty signed by 49 countries in 1951, Xue Huayuan said that China did not have a representative to participate in the San Francisco Peace Treaty, but the peace treaty had made provisions for China. He emphasized that the "San Francisco Peace Treaty" only stipulated that Japan gave up its sovereignty over Taiwan and Penghu, but it did not specify that Taiwan's sovereignty would be transferred to other countries. And how to resolve the "San Francisco Peace Treaty"? It is "Taiwan's status is determined by the Taiwanese people." This is the key.