The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) serves as the representative office of the United States in Taiwan. The establishment of diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China in 1979 required acknowledgment of the One-China policy and termination of diplomatic relations with the Republic of China. However, the AIT serves to assist and protect US interests in Taiwan in a non-official manner.

AIT was created in 1979 by the Taiwan Relations Act after the US established full diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC) on 1979-01-01. Although AIT is a formally private institution, it is authorized by the Taiwan Relations Act to perform functions such as issuing visas for tourists and passports for US citizens. With the authorization of Taiwan Relations Act, the Department of State, through a non-official and private contract with AIT, provides AIT guidance and some funding in its operations. In practice the staff of the AIT consists of largely of employees of the Department of State who are on leave from the Department. However, while on leave, State Department employees continue to accrue seniority.

AIT has a small headquarters office in Arlington County, Virginia. AIT's largest office is located in Taipei, Taiwan. AIT also has a small branch office in Taiwan's southern port city of Kaohsiung. These three offices are referred to as AIT/Washington (AIT/W), AIT/Taipei (AIT/T) and AIT/Kaohsiung (AIT/K), respectively.^[1]. The Director of AIT/T is Stephen Young (from March 18, 2006), the Managing Director of AIT/W is Barbara Schrage, and the Chairman of AIT is Raymond Burghardt.

Directors of AIT are of the same rank as ambassador and receive diplomatic privileges in their capacity as directors.

Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office similarly represents Taiwan in the US.

List of Directors

• Charles T. Cross 1979 - 1981
• James R. Lilley 1981 - 1984
• Harry E.T. Thayer 1984 - 1986
• David Dean 1987 - 1989
• Thomas Brooks 1990 - 1993
• B. Lynn Pascoe 1993 - 1996
• Darryl Norman Johnson 1996 - 1999
• Raymond Burghardt 1999 - 2001
• Douglas H. Paal 2002 - 2006
• Stephen Young 2006 - Present

List of Commercial Officers

• William D. McClure 1981 - 1986
• Raymond Sanders 1986 - 1989

List of Chairmen

• David Dean 1979 - 1986
• David N. Laux 1986 - 1990
• Natale H. Bellocchi 1990 - 1995
• James C. Wood, Jr. 1996 - 1997
• Richard C. Bush 1997 - 2002
• Therese Shaheen 2002 - 2004
• David G. Brown 2004 - 2006 (Acting)
• Raymond Burghardt 2006 -

See also

• Foreign relations of Taiwan
• Foreign relations of the United States
• Political status of Taiwan

References

1. ↑ AIT - Introduction to the American Institute in Taiwan

• "Introduction to the American Institute in Taiwan" from AIT's official web site.
• "AIT/Taipei Directors" from AIT's official web site.
• "AIT/Washington Chairmen" from AIT's official web site.

External links

• Official website

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