VZCZCXRO7078
OO RUEHIK
DE RUEHC #5599/01 2821716
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 091656Z OCT 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 0209
RUEHRY/AMEMBASSY CONAKRY 1932

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 105599 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AMGT PREL TW
SUBJECT: GUIDELINES ON CONTACTS WITH TAIWAN 
 
REF: 2008 STATE 95091 
 
STATE 00105599  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: EXECUTIVE BRANCH CONTACTS WITH TAIWAN 
REPRESENTATIVES ABROAD SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT IN ACCORDANCE 
WITH THE GUIDELINES LAID OUT IN PARA 3 BELOW.  THE 
GUIDELINES APPLY TO ALL OCCASIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND 
ESPECIALLY IN THE WEEKS PRIOR TO THE OCTOBER 10 ("DOUBLE 
TEN") ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE "REPUBLIC OF 
CHINA."  PLEASE ENSURE THAT THESE GUIDELINES ARE BROADLY 
CIRCULATED WITHIN YOUR MISSION.  THIS CABLE DOES NOT 
PROVIDE GUIDELINES FOR AIT EMPLOYEES. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
BACKGROUND ON UNOFFICIAL NATURE OF U.S. RELATIONS WITH 
TAIWAN 
 
¶2. FOR THE PAST THREE DECADES, THE UNITED STATES HAS 
ADHERED TO A ONE CHINA POLICY, CONSISTENT WITH THE THREE 
U.S.-PRC JOINT COMMUNIQUES AND THE TAIWAN RELATIONS ACT 
(ALL AVAILABLE ON THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE).  IN 
KEEPING WITH THIS ONE CHINA POLICY, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT 
ESTABLISHED DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH THE PRC IN 1979 AND 
RECOGNIZED THE PRC AS THE SOLE LEGAL GOVERNMENT OF CHINA. 
FOLLOWING THE TERMINATION OF FORMAL RELATIONS BETWEEN THE 
UNITED STATES AND THE GOVERNING AUTHORITIES ON TAIWAN, THE 
UNITED STATES BEGAN MAINTAINING UNOFFICIAL RELATIONS WITH 
THE ISLAND, PER THE TAIWAN RELATIONS ACT.  SIMILARLY, THE 
U.S.-PRC JOINT COMMUNIQUE OF 1979 STATES THAT "THE PEOPLE 
OF THE UNITED STATES WILL MAINTAIN CULTURAL, COMMERCIAL, 
AND OTHER UNOFFICIAL RELATIONS WITH THE PEOPLE OF TAIWAN." 
 
GUIDELINES FOR CONTACTS WITH TAIWAN REPRESENTATIVES 
 
¶3. THE TAIWAN RELATIONS ACT ESTABLISHED THE AMERICAN 
INSTITUTE IN TAIWAN (AIT) AS A NONPROFIT CORPORATION 
RESPONSIBLE FOR CARRYING OUT PROGRAMS, TRANSACTIONS, AND 
OTHER RELATIONS THAT WOULD, HAD WE MAINTAINED DIPLOMATIC 
RELATIONS, HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED BY THE PRESIDENT OR ANY 
AGENCY OF THE USG WITH RESPECT TO TAIWAN.  TAIWAN'S 
COUNTERPART TO AIT IS THE TAIPEI ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL 
REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE IN THE UNITED STATES (TECRO). 
EXECUTIVE BRANCH OFFICIALS SHOULD ADHERE TO THE FOLLOWING 
GUIDELINES FOR INTERACTION WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF TAIWAN: 
 
-- TAIWAN REPRESENTATIVES SHOULD BE TREATED WITH 
APPROPRIATE COURTESY AND RESPECT, WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF 
OUR UNOFFICIAL RELATIONS WITH THE ISLAND. 
 
--USG OFFICIALS SHOULD CONDUCT THE SAME SUBSTANTIVE RANGE 
OF BUSINESS WITH THEIR TAIWAN COUNTERPARTS THAT THEY WOULD 
CONDUCT WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM COUNTRIES WITH WHICH THE 
UNITED STATES HAS DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS. 
 
--MEETINGS BETWEEN USG OFFICIALS AND TAIWAN AUTHORITIES 
OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES MUST BE HELD OUTSIDE USG AND 
TAIWAN OFFICES (E.G., AT PRIVATE MEETING ROOMS OR 
RESTAURANTS). 
 
--EMBASSY PERSONNEL MAY ACCEPT INVITATIONS TO PRIVATE 
FUNCTIONS HOSTED BY TAIWAN REPRESENTATIVES EITHER IN 
RESTAURANTS OR IN THEIR HOMES, BUT NOT IN RESIDENCES OF 
TAIWAN'S PRINCIPAL REPRESENTATIVES OR AMBASSADORS. 
INVITATIONS TO OFFICIAL TAIWAN-HOSTED FUNCTIONS OR ANY 
FUNCTIONS HELD ON TAIWAN'S OFFICIAL PREMISES MAY NOT BE 
ACCEPTED. 
 
--U.S. EMBASSY AND CONSULATE PERSONNEL MAY HOST TAIWAN 
REPRESENTATIVES AT PRIVATE FUNCTIONS IN RESTAURANTS OR IN 
THEIR HOMES, BUT NOT IN U.S. CHIEF OF MISSION RESIDENCES. 
TAIWAN REPRESENTATIVES MAY NOT BE INVITED TO U.S. 
FUNCTIONS OF AN OFFICIAL NATURE OR TO FUNCTIONS HELD ON 
OFFICIAL U.S. PREMISES. 
 
--IN COUNTRIES WHERE THE TAIWAN AMBASSADOR SERVES AS THE 
DEAN OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS, U.S. PERSONNEL MAY ONLY 
ATTEND FUNCTIONS THAT THE TAIWAN AMBASSADOR HOSTS FOR THE 
ENTIRE CORPS IN HIS ROLE AS DEAN. 
 
--ANY FUNCTION HELD ON OR AROUND OCTOBER 10, CELEBRATED 
BY TAIWAN AUTHORITIES AS THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING 
OF THE "REPUBLIC OF CHINA," SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AN 
OFFICIAL FUNCTION REGARDLESS OF ITS VENUE OR DECLARED 
NATURE. (NOTE: WASHINGTON-BASED EXECUTIVE BRANCH OFFICIALS 
ARE PERMITTED TO ATTEND THE SEPARATE TECRO-SPONSORED 
RECEPTION SPECIFICALLY FOR USG EXECUTIVE BRANCH OFFICIALS 
THAT NORMALLY TAKES PLACE IN MID-OCTOBER, BECAUSE IT IS 
 
STATE 00105599  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
DISTINCT FROM THE FORMAL DOUBLE-TEN FUNCTION.) 
 
--USG OFFICIALS MAY NOT ATTEND OFFICIAL OVERSEAS 
FUNCTIONS THAT HONOR OR ARE HOSTED BY VISITING TAIWAN 
AUTHORITIES.  THE ONLY EXCEPTION MIGHT BE A FUNCTION, NOT 
ON TAIWAN'S OFFICIAL PREMISES, HOSTED BY TAIWAN 
REPRESENTATIVES FOR A MEETING OF AN INTERNATIONAL 
ORGANIZATION IN WHICH TAIWAN IS A FULL MEMBER.  REQUESTS 
TO ATTEND SUCH EVENTS MUST BE REFERRED TO THE DEPARTMENT 
(EAP/TC) FOR CONSIDERATION ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS (SEE 
PARA 6 BELOW). 
 
--U.S. GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES SHOULD NOT CORRESPOND 
DIRECTLY WITH AUTHORITIES FROM TAIWAN, BUT RATHER SHOULD 
SEND LETTERS THROUGH AIT-TECRO CHANNELS.  INDIVIDUALS FROM 
TAIWAN WHOM U.S. EXECUTIVE BRANCH OFFICIALS CONTACT ARE 
GENERALLY REFERRED TO BY NAME, TITLE, AND CITY WITHOUT USE 
OF INTERNATIONAL NOMENCLATURE (E.G., DIRECTOR GENERAL 
CHANG, CIVIL AVIATION BUREAU, TAIPEI).  CORRESPONDENCE TO 
THESE INDIVIDUALS IS PREPARED ON PLAIN WHITE STATIONERY 
AND SIGNED WITH A PERSONAL NAME WITHOUT A USG TITLE. (THE 
EXCEPTION MIGHT BE WHEN CORRESPONDING WITH A TAIWAN 
REPRESENTATIVE TO AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF WHICH 
TAIWAN IS A FULL MEMBER.  THE REPRESENTATIVE'S TITLE, 
AFFILIATION, AND STATUS IN THE ORGANIZATION SHOULD BE AS 
SPECIFIED IN THE CONTEXT OF THE INTERNATIONAL 
ORGANIZATION, E.G., "CHINESE TAIPEI" IN APEC).  AIT WILL 
PACKAGE CORRESPONDENCE UNDER AN APPROPRIATE COVER LETTER 
TO TECRO, FROM WHICH IT WILL BE RELAYED TO RECIPIENT 
AUTHORITIES ON TAIWAN. 
 
GUIDELINES FOR TRAVEL TO TAIWAN 
 
¶4. ALL EXECUTIVE BRANCH PERSONNEL WHO PLAN TO TRAVEL TO 
TAIWAN FOR WORK-RELATED REASONS MUST HAVE PRIOR 
CONCURRENCE FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S OFFICE OF TAIWAN 
COORDINATION BEFORE REQUESTING TRAVEL CLEARANCE FROM AIT 
TAIPEI. USG PERSONNEL TRAVEL TO TAIWAN IN THE CAPACITY OF 
CONSULTANTS TO AIT.  OFFICIAL TRAVEL IS NOT PERMITTED FOR 
STATE OR DEFENSE OFFICIALS ABOVE THE RANK OF OFFICE 
DIRECTOR OR FOR UNIFORMED MILITARY PERSONNEL ABOVE THE 
LEVEL OF 06 (COLONEL, NAVY CAPTAIN) WITHOUT THE WRITTEN 
PERMISSION OF EAP/TC.  FOR PERSONAL TRAVEL, SENIOR 
EXECUTIVE BRANCH OFFICIALS AT OR ABOVE THE LEVEL OF 
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OR THREE-STAR FLAG OFFICERS MUST 
OBTAIN CLEARANCE FROM EAP/TC.  ALL TRAVEL BY EXECUTIVE 
BRANCH PERSONNEL TO TAIWAN OR TRANSITING THROUGH TAIWAN 
MUST BE ON A REGULAR (TOURIST) PASSPORT.  DIPLOMATIC AND 
OFFICIAL PASSPORTS SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR TRAVEL TO 
TAIWAN. 
 
U.S. POLICY ON TAIWAN'S STATUS IN INTERNATIONAL 
ORGANIZATIONS 
 
¶5. CONSISTENT WITH OUR ONE CHINA POLICY, THE UNITED STATES 
DOES NOT SUPPORT TAIWAN'S MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL 
ORGANIZATIONS FOR WHICH STATEHOOD IS REQUIRED (E.G. THE 
UNITED NATIONS OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS). 
THE UNITED STATES SUPPORTS, AS APPROPRIATE, TAIWAN'S 
INVOLVEMENT IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, PROCESSES, 
AGREEMENTS, AND GATHERINGS WHERE STATEHOOD IS NOT A 
PREREQUISITE.  WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF OUR ONE CHINA 
POLICY, THE UNITED STATES DOES NOT TAKE A POSITION ON WHAT 
TAIWAN'S TITLE SHOULD BE IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS. 
THE UNITED STATES SUPPORTS FLEXIBLE ARRANGEMENTS AND 
NOMENCLATURE ACCEPTABLE TO BOTH THE PRC AND TAIWAN AND 
OPPOSES ATTEMPTS BY EITHER SIDE TO USE NOMENCLATURE FOR 
POLITICAL PURPOSES INCONSISTENT WITH U.S. POLICY.  THE 
USG'S OVERALL GOAL IS TO ENABLE THE PEOPLE ON TAIWAN TO 
COMPLY WITH INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES AND 
RECEIVE APPROPRIATE INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE AND ADVICE, 
DESPITE TAIPEI'S GENERAL LACK OF RECOGNITION AS AN 
INDEPENDENT STATE. 
 
GUIDELINES ON TAIWAN MILITARY UNIFORMS AND ROC FLAGS 
 
¶6.  IN KEEPING WITH THE UNOFFICIAL NATURE OF OUR RELATIONS 
WITH TAIWAN AND THE FACT THAT THE UNITED STATES DOES NOT 
RECOGNIZE TAIWAN AS AN INDEPENDENT, SOVEREIGN STATE, 
MILITARY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE AUTHORITIES ON TAIWAN 
SHOULD NOT WEAR THEIR UNIFORMS WHILE IN THE UNITED STATES 
OR ON U.S. PREMISES OVERSEAS, AND THE "ROC" FLAG SHOULD 
NOT BE DISPLAYED ON USG PREMISES. 
 
COORDINATION WITH WASHINGTON ON TAIWAN MATTERS 
 
¶7. POSTS THAT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING CONTACT WITH 
TAIWAN OR ITS REPRESENTATIVES SHOULD SEEK EARLY GUIDANCE 
FROM EAP'S OFFICE OF TAIWAN COORDINATION (EAP/TC TEL 202- 
647-7711 FAX 202-647-0076 NIPRNET EAP-TC-OFFICE- 
DL@STATE.GOV SIPRNET EAP-TC-OFFICE-DL2@STATE.SGOV.GOV). 
 
STATE 00105599  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
TERMINOLOGY 
 
¶8. THE DEPARTMENT REMINDS POSTS THAT, CONSISTENT WITH THE 
UNOFFICIAL NATURE OF U.S.TAIWAN TIES, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT 
DOES NOT REFER TO TAIWAN AS THE "REPUBLIC OF CHINA," THE 
"REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON TAIWAN," OR A COUNTRY.  THE USG 
REFERS TO TAIWAN SIMPLY AS "TAIWAN." 
 
¶9. Minimize considered. 
CLINTON