Foreign relations of the Republic of China (ROC), more commonly known as Taiwan, are accomplished by efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China, a cabinet-level ministry of the Government of the Republic of China. As of January 2024, the ROC has formal diplomatic relations with 11 of the 193 United Nations member states and with the Holy See, which governs the Vatican City State. In addition to these relations, the ROC also maintains unofficial relations with 59 UN member states, one self-declared state (Somaliland), three territories (Guam, Hong Kong, and Macau), and the European Union via its representative offices and consulates. In 2021, the Government of the Republic of China had the 33rd largest diplomatic network in the world with 110 offices.
The American Institute in Taiwan is the de facto embassy of the United States of America in Taiwan. AIT is a wholly owned subsidiary of the federal government of the United States in Taiwan with Congressional oversight. The AIT was officially created as a U.S. government-sponsored nonprofit, private corporation established under the auspices of the U.S. government to serve its interests in Taiwan.
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO), also known as Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO), Taipei Representative Office (TRO) or Taipei Mission, is an alternative diplomatic institution serving as a de facto embassy or a consulate of the Republic of China to exercise the foreign affairs and consular services in specific countries which have established formal diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. The PRC denies the legitimacy of the ROC as a sovereign state and claims the ROC-controlled territories as an integral part of its territory. An exclusive mandate, namely One-China policy, requires that any country wishing to establish a diplomatic relationship with the PRC must first sever any formal relationship with the ROC. According to The Fletcher Forum of World Affairs, "non-recognition of the Taiwanese government is a prerequisite for conducting formal diplomatic relations with the PRC—in effect forcing other governments to choose between Beijing and Taipei." As a result, these countries only allow the ROC to establish representative offices instead of a fully-fledged embassy or consulate for the purpose of conducting practical bilateral relations without granting full diplomatic recognition.
The Canadian Trade Office in Taipei is Canada's representative office in Taiwan, which functions as a de facto embassy in the absence of official diplomatic relations in which Canada recognized the People's Republic of China in October 1970 in accordance with the "one-China policy".
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a cabinet-level ministry of Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), and is responsible for the ROC's diplomacy and foreign relations. It is headquartered in the capital Taipei. The incumbent minister is Lin Chia-lung, who took office in 2024 and is a member of the Democratic Progressive Party.
South Korean–Taiwan relations
The Japan–Taiwan Exchange Association, formerly known as Interchange Association, is an organization that represents the interests of Japan in Taiwan. In 2017, the current name was adopted.
A de facto embassy is an office or organisation that serves de facto as an embassy in the absence of normal or official diplomatic relations among countries, usually to represent nations which lack full diplomatic recognition, regions or dependencies of countries, or territories over which sovereignty is disputed. In some cases, diplomatic immunity and extraterritoriality may be granted.
The Taipei Economic and Trade Office, Jakarta, Indonesia is the representative office of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in Indonesia, functioning as a de facto embassy in the absence of diplomatic relations. It also has responsibility for East Timor.
Canada and Taiwan have maintained unofficial bilateral relations since 1970. First contacts between Canada and Taiwan began in 1871 with the arrival of George Leslie Mackay.
The Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Federative Republic of Brazil do not have official diplomatic relations, as Brazil acknowledges the One-China policy. However, the two nations maintain unofficial diplomatic relations via economic and cultural offices.
The Manila Economic and Cultural Office is the representative office of the Philippines in Taiwan, functioning as a de facto embassy in the absence of diplomatic relations. It is a non-stock, non-profit corporation organized under Philippine law.
The Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan represents the interests of Spain in Taiwan in the absence of formal diplomatic relations, functioning as a de facto embassy. Its counterpart in Spain is the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Spain in Madrid.
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Spain; represents the interests of Taiwan in Spain in the absence of formal diplomatic relations, functioning as a de facto embassy. Its counterpart in Taiwan is the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Taipei.
The Vietnam Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei is the representative office of Vietnam in Taiwan, which functions as a de facto embassy in the absence of diplomatic relations. Its counterpart body in Vietnam is the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vietnam based in Hanoi.
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Mexico; represents the interests of Taiwan in Mexico in the absence of formal diplomatic relations, functioning as a de facto embassy. Its counterpart in Taiwan is the Mexican Trade Services Documentation and Cultural Office in Taipei.
The Taipei Commercial and Cultural Office in Argentina; represents the interests of Taiwan in Argentina in the absence of formal diplomatic relations, functioning as a de facto embassy.
The Taipei Commercial Office in Bogotá, Colombia represents the interests of Taiwan in Colombia in the absence of formal diplomatic relations, functioning as a de facto embassy.
