國會外交的執行者：立法院國際事務處的緣起與運作

Abstract

本文研究2023年5月12日《立法院組織法》並增設立法院國際事務處的背景因素、修法歷程及立法院國際事務處的運作。並運用「委託代理理論（Principal-agent Theory）」解釋我國國會外交需求與型態的轉變，進而促成立法院國際事務處的成立。 截至2024年1月15日，諾魯共和國宣布與中華民國斷交，中華民國之邦交國共計12國。外交處境日益艱險，不過近年非友邦國家之國會訪團來台頻率有越來越高之趨勢。透過「非行政單位對行政單位」、「介於官方與個人之間身分」的交流，讓我國有更多與他國發展互動管道的機會。但《立法院組織法》2023年5月12日修法通過前，立法院內並無主責國會外交事務的專責單位，而是由秘書處肩負國內外接待、行政工作；或是立法委員經由外交部國會室牽線，由外交部協助處理。 因為國會涉外事務需求與樣態漸增，國會外交的委託代理關係轉變，凸顯立法院秘書處與外交部國會室量能與專業性不足的問題。立法院遂於2023年5月12日三讀通過立法院組織法部分條文修正案，在立法院內增設「國際事務處」。本研究透過次級資料分析與深度訪談法，分析原有體制下運行之困境，到《立法院組織法》研擬修法、朝野黨團討論，以及立法院國際事務處的人事、運作與未來展望。

This paper examines the background, legislative process, and operations of the Legislative Yuan's Department of International Affairs, established through the amendment to the Legislative Yuan Organization Act on May 12, 2023. It is the first paper that applies the Principal-agent Theory to explain the transformation of Taiwan's legislative diplomacy needs and patterns, leading to the establishment of the Legislative Yuan's Department of International Affairs. As of January 15, 2024, Republic of Nauru announced an end of diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan), reducing the number of Taiwan's diplomatic allies to 12. Despite the increasingly challenging diplomatic situation, there has been more opportunities in legislative diplomacy. In recent years, many parliamentary delegations of countries without diplomatic relations have visited Taiwan, and the trend is increasing. Through interactions “between non-administrative units" and "between official and personal identities, " Taiwan has had more opportunities to develop interaction channels with other countries. However, before the amendment of the Legislative Yuan Organization Act on May 12, 2023, there was no dedicated unit for legislative diplomacy affairs in the Legislative Yuan. Instead, the Secretariat was responsible for receiving domestic and foreign guests and administrative works, or legislators may ask the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Congressional Liaison Office for assistance. Due to the increasing demand and patterns of parliamentary foreign affairs, the principal-agent relationship in legislative diplomacy has changed, highlighting the lack of capacity, professionalism in the Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Congressional Liaison Office. On May 12, 2023, the Legislative Yuan passed the amendment to the Legislative Yuan Organization Act, setting up the "Department of International Affairs" within the Legislative Yuan. Through secondary data analysis and in-depth interviews, this paper clarifies the challenges under the original system, the amendment to the Legislative Yuan Organization Act, discussions among parties. Furthermore, this paper analyzes the personnel, operations, and prospects of the Legislative Yuan's Department of International Affairs.