Acknowledge and Recognize

中美关系最重要的基石是所谓的三个公报（上海公报、建交公报和八一七公报），这三个公报对台湾的地位都有提到，界定了两国对于台湾地位的立场。每当谈到美国对于台湾的立场的时候，总有朋友，特别是台湾朋友，提到美国对于中国大陆立场的说法是acknowledge而不是recognize，并据此认为美国没有承认（recognize）台湾是中国的一部分，而是仅仅认知（acknowledge）到了中国大陆的立场。我们下面就就此讨论一下。

 

先看一下下面所附三个公报，可以看到语言的使用是一个渐进过程。在上海公报里是双方陈述立场，大陆说：

“台湾是中国的一个省，早已归还祖国；解放台湾是中国内政，别国无权干涉”，

美方说：

“The United States acknowledges that all Chinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait maintain there is but one China and that Taiwan is a part of China. The United States Government does not challenge that position”

美国“承认”的是“在台湾海峡两边的所有两岸中国人都认为只有一个中国，台湾是中国的一部分。美国政府对这一立场不提出异议”。

 

建交公报中文文本说：

“美利坚合众国承认(recognizes)中华人民共和国政府是中国的唯一合法政府。在此范围内，美国人民将同台湾人民保持文化、商务和其他非官方关系。

美利坚合众国政府承认(acknowledges)中国的立场，即只有一个中国，台湾是中国的一部分”。

英文文本的后一段说：

“The United States of America recognizes the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China. Within this context, the people of the United States will maintain cultural, commercial, and other unofficial relations with the people of Taiwan.

The Government of the United States of America acknowledges the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China”.

最后一段英文“承认（或认知）”说的是大陆的台湾是中国一部分的立场，前提是美国承认大陆政府是中国的唯一合法政府。

 

八一七公报主要说的是对台军售问题，对台湾的定位还是重复了建交公报的内容，不多说。

 

查牛津字典两个字的相关解释：

Acknowledge：

1. Accept or admit the existence or truth of
2. Recognize the fact or importance or quality of,
3. Accept the validity or legitimacy of

Recognize：

1. Acknowledge the existence, validity, or legality of
2. Officially regard (a qualification) as valid or proper
3. Grant diplomatic recognition to (a country or government)

 

可以看到这两个字基本是可以互换的，都是确认、承认的意思。只不过recognize有一个专门的用法就是对国家或政府的承认，所以用在中美两国间的互相承认是必须要使用recognize的。但在用来说明确认大陆的立场的时候，使用acknowledge和recognize是没有区别的。

如果有人一定要说区别，那么acknowledge其实要比recognize更强烈：recognize说的是内心中认同就可以了，而acknowledge是要明确肯定这种认同的。比如你可以recognize（认出）了一个旧识，但你不必acknowledge你的认出；但如果你要acknowledge认出旧识这个事实，你是要用口头或肢体语言表达的，也就是说recognize可以是by heart，但acknowledge是一定要by action的，用语言或者行为。

 

当然你可能还是不相信，所以最后要说，这三个文件都是正式的外交文件，是双方同意签署的中英文版本，都有效力。你要怀疑文本准确性的话不妨看看美国在台协会和台湾朋友怎么说的：

上海公报

建交公报

八一七公报

可以看到美国在台协会明确告诉了台湾朋友美国的立场。虽然中英文文本都在，建议台湾朋友多读读中文版。这些文件都是经过双方签署过的外交换文，效力等同。

 

附录：中美三个公报原文：

一、上海公报（1972年2月28日）

一、一、中文版

中华人民共和国和美利坚合众国联合公报

。。。

双方回顾了中美两国之间长期存在的严重争端。中国方面重申自己的立场：台湾问题是阻碍中美两国关系正常化的关键问题；中华人民共和国政府是中国的唯一合法政府；台湾是中国的一个省，早已归还祖国；解放台湾是中国内政，别国无权干涉；全部美国武装力量和军事设施必须从台湾撤走。中国政府坚决反对任何旨在制造“一中一台”、“一个中国、两个政府”、“两个中国”、“台湾独立”和鼓吹“台湾地位未定”的活动。

 

美国方面声明：美国认识到，在台湾海峡两边的所有中国人都认为只有一个中国，台湾是中国的一部分。美国政府对这一立场不提出异议。它重申它对由中国人自己和平解决台湾问题的关心。考虑到这一前景，它确认从台湾撤出全部美国武装力量和军事设施的最终目标。在此期间，它将随着这个地区紧张局势的缓和逐步减少它在台湾的武装力量和军事设施。

。。。

一、二、英文版

Joint Communique of the United States of America and the People's Republic of China

…

The two sides reviewed the long-standing serious disputes between China and the United States. The Chinese side reaffirmed its position: the Taiwan question is the crucial question obstructing the normalization of relations between China and the United States; the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government of China; Taiwan is a province of China which has long been returned to the motherland; the liberation of Taiwan is China's internal affair in which no other country has the right to interfere; and all US forces and military installations must be withdrawn from Taiwan. The Chinese Government firmly opposes any activities which aim at the creation of "one China, one Taiwan", "one China, two governments", "two Chinas", an "independent Taiwan" or advocate that "the status of Taiwan remains to be determined".

The US side declared: The United States acknowledges that all Chinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait maintain there is but one China and that Taiwan is a part of China. The United States Government does not challenge that position. It reaffirms its interest in a peaceful settlement of the Taiwan question by the Chinese themselves. With this prospect in mind, it affirms the ultimate objective of the withdrawal of all US forces and military installations from Taiwan. In the meantime, it will progressively reduce its forces and military installations on Taiwan as the tension in the area diminishes.

…

 

二、建交公报（一九七九年一月一日）

二、一、中文版

中华人民共和国和美利坚合众国关于建立外交关系的联合公报

。。。

中华人民共和国和美利坚合众国商定自一九七九年一月一日起互相承认并建立外交关系。

美利坚合众国承认中华人民共和国政府是中国的唯一合法政府。在此范围内，美国人民将同台湾人民保持文化、商务和其他非官方关系。

。。。

──美利坚合众国政府承认(acknowledges)中国的立场，即只有一个中国，台湾是中国的一部分。

。。。

二、二、英文版

Joint Communique of the United States of America and the People's Republic of China

…

The United States of America and the People's Republic of China have agreed to recognize each other and to establish diplomatic relations as of January 1, 1979.

The United States of America recognizes the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China. Within this context, the people of the United States will maintain cultural, commercial, and other unofficial relations with the people of Taiwan.

The Government of the United States of America acknowledges the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China.

…

三、八一七公报（一九八二年八月十七日）

三、一、中文版

中华人民共和国和美利坚合众国联合公报

。。。

一、在中华人民共和国政府和美利坚合众国政府发表的一九七九年一月一日建立外交关系的联合公报中，美利坚合众国承认中华人民共和国政府是中国的唯一合法政府，并承认中国的立场，即只有一个中国，台湾是中国的一部分。在此范围内，双方同意，美国人民将同台湾人民继续保持文化、商务和其他非官方关系。在此基础上，中美两国关系实现了正常化。

。。。

五、美国政府非常重视它与中国的关系，并重申，它无意侵犯中国的主权和领土完整，无意干涉中国的内政，也无意执行“两个中国”或“一中一台”政策。美国政府理解并欣赏一九七九年一月一日中国发表的告台湾同胞书和一九八一年九月三十日中国提出的九点方针中所表明的中国争取和平解决台湾问题的政策。台湾问题上出现的新形势也为解决中美两国在美国售台武器问题上的分歧提供了有利的条件。

。。。

三、二、英文版

US-PRC Joint Communique  (1982)

…

1. In the Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations on January 1, 1979, issued by the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the People's Republic of China, the United States of America recognized the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, and it acknowledged the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China. Within that context, the two sides agreed that the people of the United States would continue to maintain cultural, commercial, and other unofficial relations with the people of Taiwan. On this basis, relations between the United States and China were normalized.

is fundamental policy to strive for a peaceful solution to the Taiwan question.

5. The United States Government attaches great importance to its relations with China, and reiterates that it has no intention of infringing on Chinese sovereignty and territorial integrity, or interfering in China's internal affairs, or pursuing a policy of "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan." The United States Government understands and appreciates the Chinese policy of striving for a peaceful resolution of the Taiwan question as indicated in China's Message to Compatriots in Taiwan issued on January 1, 1979 and the Nine-Point Proposal put forward by China on September 30, 1981. The new situation which has emerged with regard to the Taiwan question also provides favorable conditions for the settlement of United States-China differences over the question of United States arms sales to Taiwan.