American Institute in Taiwan
AIT Director Kin W. Moy at the press conference in Taipei, October 27, 2015.
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Non-profit Organization (with de facto embassy functions) |
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| Founded | Washington, D.C. (January 16, 1979) |
| Founder | Harvey J. Feldman (US diplomat) |
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Key people
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Raymond Burghardt (Chairman, Washington HQ) Kin W. Moy (Director, Taipei Office) |
| Website | https://www.ait.org.tw/en/ |
Coordinates: 25°1′56.81″N 121°32′22.41″E / 25.0324472°N 121.5395583°E
The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT; Chinese: 美國在台協會; pinyin: Měiguó Zài Tái Xiéhuì) is a non-profit organization established under the auspices of the United States government to serve its interests in Taiwan. Primarily staffed by employees of the United States Department of State and local workers, it provides services normally provided by a United States diplomatic mission. The establishment of diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1979 required acknowledgment of the One-China policy and termination of diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (ROC). The AIT now serves to assist and protect US interests in Taiwan and other areas in the ROC in a non-official manner. The AIT also processes visas and provides consular services to American expatriates.
AIT is a non-profit corporation incorporated in the District of Columbia on 16 January 1979 after the US established full diplomatic relations with the PRC on January 1, 1979. Following the authorization of the Taiwan Relations Act, the Department of State, through a non-official contract with AIT, provides guidance and some funding in its operations. Like other U.S. missions abroad, AIT is staffed by employees of the Department of State and other agencies of the United States, as well as by locally hired staff. Prior to a 2002 amendment to the Foreign Service Act (Section 503 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, as amended by the Department of State Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003), United States government employees were required to resign from government service for their period of assignment to AIT. According to Section 12 (a) of the Taiwan Relations Act, agreements conducted by AIT have to be reported to Congress, just as other international agreements concluded by United States and governments with which it has diplomatic relations. Thus, while relations between the US and Taiwan through AIT are conducted on an informal basis, the US government still treats the relationship within the same confines as with other states with formal diplomatic relations.
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