American Institute in Taiwan


American Institute in Taiwan

A non-profit organization in the United States that effectively serves as its embassy to Taiwan. When American relations with the People's Republic of China were normalized in 1979, the United States had to revoke recognition of the Republic of China, which controls Taiwan. In response, the American Institute in Taiwan was established as a non-official organization by which the U.S. could communicate with the Taiwanese government. It is staffed by Department of State employees (though for a time they had to resign from the Department of State for the duration of their assignment at the Institute). While it maintains a small headquarters in Virginia, its largest office is in Taipei, Taiwan.