1926-1929年中比修約案研究

Abstract

1865年《中比條約》修約案是北洋末期「到期修約」政策的試金石，北京政府依據「情勢變遷」原則及條約中之修約條款，要求到期修約，遭到比利時拒絕後，斷然宣布舊約終止，成為中國外交史上第一個片面宣布失效的舊約。比利時政府向海牙常設國際法庭提出訴訟，北京外交部力謀對策，不久雙方妥協，展開修約談判，並完成草約。北京外交部雖未能訂立中比新約，但是已經確立舊約「期滿作廢」之先例，爭取到比利時依據「平等互惠尊重主權」原則談判新約，也渡過了常設國際法庭法理爭議的難關，為南京國民政府之改訂新約，奠定了堅實的基礎。北伐完成後，南京國民政府繼續與比剎時議訂第一個友好通商條約，但引起朝野廣泛質疑與討論。 1926-1929年中比修約研究，顯現了北伐前後中國外交發展脈絡，從北洋末期「到期修約」、「到期修改期滿作廢」到南京初期「改訂新約」的演變歷程「修約」、「廢約」兩條路線逐漸合流，北洋與南京政府外交的連續性相當明顯，有助於學界擺脫過去「革命史觀」對外交史的曲解。

The treaty revision negotiations over the Sino-Belgian Treaty of 1865 were the touchstone of the Peking Government`s treaty revision policy. The Peking government deemed that treaty as unequal and raised the issue according to the treaty revision clause and rebus sic stantibus principle. After the Belgian government`s rejection, Peking government announced that the treaty was terminated, and Belgium claimed China`s deed unlawful to the Permanent Court of International Justice at The Hague. Soon after, both parties compromised and started to negotiate a new treaty based on principles of equality and mutual respect for territorial sovereignty. A draft was reached but formal treaty not completed before the fall of the Peking government. The Nanking government took over the negotiations, and a new treaty was signed soon afterwards. These negotiations were important for the understandings of the diplomatic strategies between Peking and Nationalist governments over revision or abrogation the so-called Unequal Treaties. That also was important for its demonstration of the continuity between Peking and Nanking diplomacy.