{ "id": "RS22388", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "RS22388", "active": false, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 353456, "date": "2009-11-03", "retrieved": "2016-04-07T02:12:49.333356", "title": "Taiwan\u2019s Political Status: Historical Background and Its Implications for U.S. Policy", "summary": "In 1979, official U.S. relations with Taiwan (the Republic of China) became a casualty of the American decision to recognize the government of the People\u2019s Republic of China (PRC) as China\u2019s sole legitimate government. Since then, U.S. unofficial relations with Taiwan have been built on the framework of the Taiwan Relations Act (P.L. 96-8) and shaped by three U.S.-China communiqu\u00e9s. Under these agreements, the United States maintains its official relations with the PRC while selling Taiwan military weapons and having extensive economic, political, and security interests there. But developments in both the PRC and Taiwan political systems mean U.S. officials continually are facing new policy choices. These developments include ongoing transformations in both Taiwan\u2019s and the PRC\u2019s political systems, economic and trade cycles and, in 2008, a renewal of contacts, talks, and agreements between the two sides. \nThis report is intended as a background overview of the historical and political complexity associated with Taiwan\u2019s status in the world and its continuing policy ramifications. In brief, this report discusses the civil war on China in the 1940s that resulted in the victory of communist forces and the ROC government\u2019s flight to Taiwan; reviews the Taiwan government\u2019s continued recognition as the sole government of China by much of the world and the United States until 1979; and discusses the Taiwan government\u2019s eventual loss of diplomatic relations with the United States and with all but a handful of countries. The report further discusses how the United States handles its extensive ongoing economic and security interests in Taiwan in the absence of official relations, and places in context the recurring policy complications that these interests pose for U.S. relations with the PRC. This report lays out the background and framework that affect how U.S. relations with both Taiwan and China are conducted today. This report will not be updated, and readers wishing to follow current policy issues involving Taiwan and China should consult other regularly updated CRS reports. As of the date of this report, these include CRS Report R40493, Taiwan-U.S. Relations: Developments and Policy Implications; and CRS Report RL30957, Taiwan: Major U.S. Arms Sales Since 1990.\nRelevant legislation introduced in the 111th Congress as of the date of this report includes a measure that would establish diplomatic relations with Taiwan (H.Con.Res. 18, introduced January 9, 2009); a measure expressing U.S. concern over and support for peaceful resolution to Taiwan\u2019s political status (H.Con.Res. 200, introduced October 15, 2009); a provision funding democracy assistance to Taiwan (in S. 1434, the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for 2010, introduced July 9, 2009); and a provision requiring the Pentagon to assess and submit a report on the capabilities of Taiwan\u2019s air force and a five-year plan for fulfilling U.S. defense obligations to Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act (in S. 1390, the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2010, introduced July 2, 2009).", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/RS22388", "sha1": "92cfb439b88cf87f8aecdfdaec65e0b0da30278d", "filename": "files/20091103_RS22388_92cfb439b88cf87f8aecdfdaec65e0b0da30278d.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RS22388", "sha1": "7dbcc427e9720f0da890dc33dd1059dc24190a23", "filename": "files/20091103_RS22388_7dbcc427e9720f0da890dc33dd1059dc24190a23.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc26331/", "id": "RS22388_2009Jun04", "date": "2009-06-04", "retrieved": "2010-07-07T17:39:19", "title": "Taiwan's Political Status: Historical Background and Ongoing Implications", "summary": "This report, intended as a background overview, briefly summarizes U.S. political history with Taiwan and discusses the complications it has for current U.S. policy and for congressional actions.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20090604_RS22388_9b6e15bbcd2aa296dc94c6a325dc12a4625b850e.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20090604_RS22388_9b6e15bbcd2aa296dc94c6a325dc12a4625b850e.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Politics and government", "name": "Politics and government" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Politics and government - Taiwan", "name": "Politics and government - Taiwan" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations - U.S. - Taiwan", "name": "Foreign relations - U.S. - Taiwan" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations - Taiwan - U.S.", "name": "Foreign relations - Taiwan - U.S." } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc700565/", "id": "RS22388_2009May07", "date": "2009-05-07", "retrieved": "2015-08-27T16:20:31", "title": "Taiwan's Political Status: Historical Background and Ongoing Implications", "summary": "This report, intended as a background overview, briefly summarizes U.S. political history with Taiwan and discusses the complications it has for current U.S. policy and for congressional actions.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20090507_RS22388_a80393875a5e0d52d25a0df4de4ae704060a6ba8.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20090507_RS22388_a80393875a5e0d52d25a0df4de4ae704060a6ba8.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Politics and government", "name": "Politics and government" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Politics and government -- Taiwan", "name": "Politics and government -- Taiwan" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign policy", "name": "Foreign policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Taiwan", "name": "Foreign relations -- U.S. -- Taiwan" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations -- Taiwan -- U.S.", "name": "Foreign relations -- Taiwan -- U.S." } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metacrs9268/", "id": "RS22388 2006-02-23", "date": "2006-02-23", "retrieved": "2006-09-25T14:30:16", "title": "Taiwan's Political Status: Historical Background and Ongoing Implications", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20060223_RS22388_624e7bb781dfa2a663b6e394b7f83765fe7c168b.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20060223_RS22388_624e7bb781dfa2a663b6e394b7f83765fe7c168b.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Politics and government", "name": "Politics and government" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Foreign relations - 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