台海兩岸自 1949 年分裂至今，雙方的政策雖歷經不同階段的調整，但仍無法突破僵局。中共始終不放棄以武力方式解決台灣問題的可能性，堅持對台灣使用武力乃其處理國內事務之主權合法行使，不受國際法的限制。本文從國際法禁止使用武力原則的目的與相關實踐來看，此原則不僅針對國家，也對包括事實實體在內的其它國際法人適用。現階段台灣在國際法下的國家地位雖有些爭議，但不影響其作為一個受國際法規範與保障的事實實體。不過，在兩岸關係中，由於中共堅持台灣問題為中國內政，且國際社會對中共武力犯台是否違反禁止使用武力原則，並未表現出明確的態度，而使得此一原則是否適用於兩岸關係，仍充滿不確定性。台灣應亟思如何與對岸協議解除敵對關係，以和平作為解決兩岸問題的基礎。

The stand-off across the Taiwan Strait has, since 1949, continued to divide the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of China (Taiwan). The PRC still insists that the Cross-Strait situation is an internal affair of China, and thus it upholds the position that using force against Taiwan is a legitimate exercise of sovereignty under international law. This article argues that, based on relevant practices, non-use of force as a principle under customary international law applies not only to States, but also to other subjects of international law, including “de facto entities.” Although Taiwan’s statehood is under controversy, it nevertheless qualities as a “de facto entity” governed and protected by international law. That being said, the application of the non-use of force principle to Cross-Strait relations remains uncertain, since the international community has not taken a clear position on whether PRC’s use force against Taiwan constitutes a violation of the principle. Therefore, Taiwan on its own interest, should actively seek ways to end hostilities and to create a framework of peace with the PRC.