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EMBASSY/CONSULATE ADDRESSES

Diplomatic Representation in US: None. Unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through a private instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) with headquarters in Taipei and field offices in Washington and 10 other US cities.

Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in USA
4201 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20016-2137
U.S.A.
Tel.: 1 (202) 895-1800 (20 lines)
Representative: Stephen S. F. Chen

Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Atlanta
Suite 800
1180 West Peachtree St.,
Atlanta, GA 30309
U.S.A.
Tel.: 1 (404) 870-9375
Representative: R.C. Wu

Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston
99 Summer St., Suite 801
(P.O. Box 120529)
Boston, MA 02110
U.S.A.
Tel.: 1 (617) 737-2050
Representative: Thomas T. S. Cheng

Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Chicago
Two Prudential Plaza
57 & 58F, 180 N. Stetson Ave.
Chicago, IL 60601
U.S.A.
Tel.: 1 (312) 616-0100
Representative: Sheng-tsung Yang

Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Guam
Suite 505, Bank of Guam Building
111 Chaian Santo Papa Road
(P.O. Box 3416)
Agana, Guam 96910
U.S.A.
Tel.: (671) 472-5865
Representative: Fu-tien Liu

Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Honolulu
2746 Pali Highway
Honolulu, Hawaii 96817
U.S.A.
Tel.: 1 (808)595-6347
Representative: Kai Wang

Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston
Eleven Greenway Plaza, Suite 2006
Houston, TX 77046
U.S.A.
Tel.: 1 (713) 626-7445
Representative: David Kuang-ting Liu

Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Kansas City, Missouri
3100 Broadway, Suite 800
Kansas City, MO 64111
U.S.A.
(P.O. Box 413617)
Tel.: 1 (816) 531-1298
Representative: Elizabeth Y.F. Chu

Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles
3731 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 700
Los Angeles, CA 90010
U.S.A.
Tel.: 1 (213) 389-1215
Representative: Francias C. R. Lee

Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Miami
2333 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Suite 610
Coral Gables, FL 33134
U.S.A.
Tel.: 1 (305) 443-8917
Representative: Ming-teh Chen

Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York
885 Second Ave., 47th Fl.
New York, NY 10017
U.S.A.
Tel.: 1 (212) 317-7300
Representative: Charles Teng

Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco
555 Montgomery St.,
2nd Floor,
San Francisco, CA 94111
U.S.A.
Tel.: 1 (415) 362-7680
Representative: Lo, Jyh-Yuan

Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Seattle
Suite 2410, Westin Building
2001 Sixth Ave.
Seattle, WA 98121
U.S.A.
Tel.: 1 (206) 441-4586
Representative: Frank R. H. Liu

US Diplomatic Representation: Unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of Taiwan are maintained through a private institution, The American Institute in Taiwan, which has offices in the following locations:

The American Institute in Taiwan

Taipei Office 7, Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3
Taipei 106, Taiwan
[866] (2) 2709-2000

The American Institute in Taiwan - Commercial Section
Room 3207, 32F, #333 Keelung Road, Section 1,
Taipei 110, Taiwan
[886] (2) 2720-1550

The American Institute Branch Office in Kaohsiungin
5F, #2, Chung Cheng 3rd Road,
Kaohsiung 800, Taiwan
[886] (7) 238-7744


FOREIGN RELATIONS

The People's Republic of China replaced Taiwan at the United Nations in 1971, and Taiwan's diplomatic position has continued to erode, as many countries changed their official recognition from Taipei to Beijing. As of June 2011, Taiwan had formal diplomatic ties with 23 countries. At the same time, Taiwan has cultivated informal ties with most countries to offset its diplomatic isolation and to expand its economic relations. Many nations have set up unofficial organizations to carry out commercial and other relations with Taiwan. Including its official overseas missions and its unofficial representative and/or trade offices, Taiwan is represented in 122 countries. During the administration of President Chen, Taiwan lobbied strongly for admission into the United Nations and other international organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO). The P.R.C. opposes Taiwan's membership in such organizations, most of which require statehood for membership, because it considers Taiwan to be a part of its territory, not a separate sovereign state. The administration of President Ma has called for a "diplomatic truce" with Beijing, under which Taiwan would retain its existing diplomatic allies but not seek to win over countries that recognize the P.R.C. The Ma administration also hopes to expand Taiwan's "international space," increasing its participation in international organizations, such as the WHO, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the International Civil Aviation Administration (ICAO).

U.S.-TAIWAN RELATIONS
On January 1, 1979, the United States changed its diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing. In the U.S.-P.R.C. Joint Communique that announced the change, the United States recognized the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China and acknowledged the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China. The Joint Communique also stated that within this context the people of the United States will maintain cultural, commercial, and other unofficial relations with the people on Taiwan.

On April 10, 1979, President Carter signed into law the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), which created domestic legal authority for the conduct of unofficial relations with Taiwan. U.S. commercial, cultural, and other interaction with the people on Taiwan is facilitated through the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), a private nonprofit corporation. The Institute has its headquarters in the Washington, DC area and has offices in Taipei and Kaohsiung. It is authorized to issue visas, accept passport applications, and provide assistance to U.S. citizens in Taiwan. A counterpart organization, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO), has been established by the Taiwan authorities. It has its headquarters in Taipei, the representative branch office in Washington, DC, and 12 other Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices (TECO) in the continental U.S. and Guam. The Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) continues to provide the legal basis for the unofficial relationship between the U.S. and Taiwan, and enshrines the U.S. commitment to assisting Taiwan maintain its defensive capability.

Following de-recognition, the United States terminated its Mutual Defense Treaty with Taiwan. However, the United States has continued the sale of appropriate defensive military equipment to Taiwan in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act, which provides for such sales and which declares that peace and stability in the area are in U.S. interests. Sales of defensive military equipment are also consistent with the 1982 U.S.-P.R.C. Joint Communique.

The United States position on Taiwan is reflected in the Three Communiques and the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA). The U.S. insists on the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait differences and encourages dialogue to help advance such an outcome. The U.S. does not support Taiwan independence. President George W. Bush stated on December 9, 2003 that the United States is opposed to any attempt by either side to unilaterally alter the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. While the United States welcomes recent exchanges that enhance channels of communication between leaders in Beijing and Taipei, the United States urges Beijing and Taipei to further advance cross-Strait cooperation and dialogue, including direct discussions between the authorities in Beijing and elected leaders in Taipei.

U.S. commercial ties with Taiwan have been maintained and have expanded since 1979. Taiwan continues to enjoy Export-Import Bank financing, Overseas Private Investment Corporation guarantees, normal trade relations (NTR) status, and ready access to U.S. markets. In recent years, AIT commercial dealings with Taiwan have focused on expanding market access for American goods and services. AIT has been engaged in a series of trade discussions, which have focused on protection of intellectual property rights and market access for U.S. goods and services.

Maintaining diplomatic relations with the P.R.C. has been recognized to be in the long-term interest of the United States by seven consecutive administrations; however, maintaining strong, unofficial relations with Taiwan also a major U.S. goal, in line with our desire to further peace and stability in Asia. In keeping with our one-China policy, the U.S. does not support Taiwan independence, but it does support Taiwan's membership in appropriate international organizations, such as the World Trade Organization, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, and the Asian Development Bank, where statehood is not a requirement for membership. In addition, the U.S. supports Taiwan's meaningful participation in appropriate international organizations where its membership is not possible.

DEFENSE
In proportion to its population, Taiwan still maintains a large military establishment. Defense expenditures for 2009 were NTD 387.7 billion (approximately U.S. $12.3 billion), accounting for 3.1% of GDP. For 2010, the Legislative Yuan allocated NTD 370.8 billion (approximately U.S. $11.73 billion) for defense, accounting for 2.96% of GDP. The military's primary mission is the defense of Taiwan against the P.R.C., which is seen as the predominant threat and which has not renounced the use of force against Taiwan. Taiwan's armed forces were reduced as part of a reform initiative from 1997 to 2001, going from about 450,000 to 385,000, with further reductions planned by the current administration to reduce the total force to just under 215,000. Registered reservists reportedly totaled 2,800,000 in 2009. Conscription remains universal for qualified males between the ages of 18 and 30. In 2009 the length of conscription service was 12 months, with a view to moving toward an all-volunteer force by the end of 2014. For qualified applicants, alternative service is available in police and fire departments and public clinics, as well as through teaching in some rural schools. Applicants with advanced degrees may qualify for National Defense Service, consisting of reserve officer training followed by 4 years of work in a government or academic research institution.

Following heavy criticism of the leadership’s response to the August 2009 Typhoon Morakot recovery efforts, the military assumed a greater role in carrying out disaster prevention and relief missions, a task formally outlined in the Ministry of National Defense’s 2009 Defense Policy White Paper.

Taiwan's armed forces are equipped with weapons obtained primarily from the United States, with a much smaller number of systems procured from other Western nations. In response to economic difficulties related to the global financial crisis, along with the challenge of acquiring foreign military equipment in the face of increasingly stronger Chinese opposition, Taiwan has given greater consideration and effort to further developing its domestic defense industry, concentrating in select fields as it attempts to further develop domestic capacity. Consistent with Taiwan’s reliance on the U.S. for major weapons systems, in January 2010, the Barack Obama administration notified Congress of its intent to sell Taiwan various defensive weapons, valued at $6.4 billion, including Blackhawk helicopters and Patriot missiles. Taiwan adheres to the principles of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and has stated that it does not intend to produce nuclear weapons.



U.S. Representative Offices
American Institute in Taiwan
Washington Headquarters
Suite 1700, 1700 North Moore Street
Arlington, VA 22209
Tel: 703-525-8474
Fax: 703-841-1385

American Institute in Taiwan
Taipei Office
No. 7, Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road
Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan
Tel: 011-886-2-2162-2000
Fax: 011-886-2-2162-2239

American Institute in Taiwan
Kaohsiung Office
5F, No. 2, Chung Cheng 3rd Road
Kaohsiung, Taiwan 800
Tel: 011-886-7-238-7744
Fax: 011-886-7-238-5237

Taiwan Representative Office
Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO)
4201 Wisconsin Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20016-2137
Tel: 202-895-1800
Fax: 202-895-0825


TRAVEL ADVISORIES

To obtain the latest Travel Advisory Information for Taiwan check the U.S. State Department Consular Information Sheet.


TRAVEL TIPS

Driving TBA
Currency (TWD) New Taiwan Dollar
Electrical 110 Volts
Telephones Country Code 886, City Code, Juifang 2+8D, Tachi 3+7D, Taoyuan, 33+6D



Tipping & Tax
Tipping is not customary in most of places in Taiwan. The one exception is tipping the bellboy when you check into a hotel.
Foreigners who work legally in Taiwan are required to file an income tax return in May each year. The deadline is May 31. For guidelines on how to file taxes as a foreigner, please contact the National Tax Administration.

Public Holidays
January 1 Foundation Day of the ROC
Chinese Lunar year Lunar New Year (3 days)
February 28 Peace Memorial Day
April 5 Tomb Sweeping Day
October 10 Double Tenth National Day

Electricity
Taiwan uses electric current of 110 volts at 60 cycles, appliances from Europe, Australia or South-East Asia will need an adaptor or transformer. Many buildings have sockets with 220 volts especially for the use of air conditioners.

Telecommunications
Public phones in Taiwan are divided primarily into two types, coin and card. Coin phones accept coins in denominations of NT$1, NT$5, and NT10. For local calls, NT$1 buys one minute of phone time. Phone cards are divided into magnetic strip stored value cards and IC stored value cards, and can be used all over Taiwan. Magnetic strip cards sell for NT$100 each, and IC cards are available in NT$200 and NT$300 versions. The cards are sold in railway stations, bus stations, scenic spots, and convenience stores. When making local calls it is not necessary to dial the area code; when making long-distance calls, however, the area code of the party being called must be dialed in first (see explanation on the public telephone) and then the number itself dialed. International calls can be made from private cell phones, public IDD phones, or hotel IDD phones. International calls are charged in units of six seconds.


CUSTOMS/DUTIES

TOBACCO....................200 cigarettes or 25 cigars or 454g of tobacco

LIQUOR........................1 bottle (not more than 1 litre)

PERFUME.....................Reasonable for personal use

CAMERAS.....................1 still, 1 movie camera

FILM.............................Reasonable for personal use

GIFTS...........................Duty free allowance up to NT$6,000

OTHER GOODS.............Up to the value of NT$20,000

CURRENCY...................Must be declared on arrival

AGRICULTURE ITEMS...Refer to Consulate

NOTE: Prohibited items include narcotics, gambling articles, non-canned meat products and toy pistols. Publications promoting communism are prohibited, as are items originating in the People's Republic of China. All baggage must be itemised and declared in writing.



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