Mutual Defense Treaty between the
United States of America and the Republic of China
The Parties to this Treaty,
Reaffirming their faith in the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and their desire to live in peace
with all peoples and all Governments, and desiring to strengthen the fabric of peace in
the West Pacific Area,
Recalling with mutual pride the relationship which brought their two
peoples together in a common bond of sympathy and mutual ideals to fight side by side
against irnperialist aggression during the last war,
Desiring to declare publicly and formally their sense of unity and
their common determination to defend themselves against external armed attack, so that no
potential aggressor could be under the illusion that either of them stands alone in the
West Pacific Area, and
Desiring further to strengthen their present efforts for collective
defense for the preservation of peace and security pending the development of a more
comprehensive system of regional security in the West Pacific Area,
Have agreed as follows:
Article 1
The Parties undertake, as set forth in
the Charter of the United Nations, to settle any international dispute in which they may
be involved by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace, security and
justice are not endangered and to refrain in their international relations from the threat
or use of force in any manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations.
Article 2
In order more effectively to achieve
the objective of this Treaty, the Parties separately and jointly by self-help and mutual
aid will maintain and develop their individual and collective capacity to resist armed
attack and communist subversive activities directed from without against their territorial
integrity and political stability.
Article 3
The Parties undertake to strengthen
their free institutions and to cooperate with each other in the development of economic
progress and social well-being and to further their individual and collective efforts
toward these ends.
Article 4
The Parties, through their Foreign
Ministers or their deputies, will consult together from time to time regarding the
implementation of this Treaty.
Article 5
Each Party recognizes that an armed
attack in the West Pacific Area directed against the territories of either of the Parties
would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declares that it would act to meet the
common danger in accordance with its constitutional processes.
Any such armed attack and all measures taken as a result thereof shall
be immediately reported to the Security Council of the United Nations. Such measures shall
be terminated when the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to restore and
maintain international peace and security.
Article 6
For the purposes of Articles 2 and 5,
the terms "territorial" and "territories" shall mean in respect of the
Republic of China, Taiwan and the Pescadores; and in respect of the United States of
America, the island territories in the West Pacific under its jurisdiction. The provisions
of Articles 2 and 5 will be applicable to such other territories as may be determined by
mutual agreement.
Article 7
The Government of the Republic of China
grants, and the Government of the United States of America accepts, the right to dispose
such United States land, air, and sea forces in and about Taiwan and the Pescadores as may
be required for their defense, as determined by mutual agreement.
Article 8
This Treaty does not affect and shall
not be interpreted as affecting in any way the rights and obligations of the Parties under
the Charter of the United Nations or the responsibility of the United Nations for the
maintenance of international peace and security.
Article 9
This Treaty shall be ratified by the
Republic of China and the United States of America in accordance with their respective
constitutional processes and will come into force when instruments of ratification thereof
have been exchanged by them at Taipei.
Article 10
This Treaty shall remain in force
indefinitely. Either Party may terminate it one year after notice has been given to the
other party.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, The undersigned
Plenipotentiaries have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate, in the Chinese and English languages,
at Washington on this Second day of the Twelfth month of the Forty-third Year of the
Republic of China, corresponding to the Second day of December of the Year One Thousand
Nine Hundred and Fifty-four.
For the Republic of China:
GEORGE K.C. YEH
For the United States of America:
JOHN FOSTER DULLES
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