American Institute in Taiwan
Taipei Main Office of the American Institute in Taiwan, with the flag of the United States flown out front. | |
| Founded | Washington, D.C. (January 16, 1979) |
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| Founder | Harvey J. Feldman (U.S. diplomat) |
| Type | U.S. Government-Sponsored Nonprofit, Private Corporation |
| Headquarters | Rosslyn, Arlington, Virginia |
| Location |
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Area served | Taiwan |
| Services | De facto embassy functions |
| Laura Rosenberger | |
Director, Taipei Office | Sandra Oudkirk |
| Subsidiaries | American Institute in Taiwan Kaohsiung Branch Office |
| Website | www |
| Under authorization by the Taiwan Relations Act | |
| American Institute in Taiwan | |||||||
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| Traditional Chinese | 美國在台協會 | ||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 美国在台协会 | ||||||
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The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT; Chinese: 美國在台協會; pinyin: Měiguó Zài Tái Xiéhuì) is a 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.
Primarily staffed by employees of the United States Department of State and local workers, the AIT provides consular services normally offered by United States diplomatic missions, with the Great Seal of the State Department hung at AIT's main office in Taipei. The establishment of diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1979 required the United States to develop its own "One China policy" and subsequently to terminate official diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan). The AIT now serves to assist and protect U.S. interests in Taiwan in a quasiofficial manner, and also processes U.S. visas and provides consular services to U.S. expatriates. Following the swift passage of the 2018 Taiwan Travel Act by the United States, it now serves as a high-level representative bureau on behalf of United States in Taiwan. It receives full protection from the United States Marine Corps as do all U.S. embassies.