Abstract
The Republic of China (ROC) on Taiwan is in effective control of an area of 36,000 square kilometers (14,000 square miles), roughly the combined size of Maryland, Delaware and Rhode Island, and has a population of approximately 20 million, with a per capita income of more than U.S. $6,000. In terms of foreign trade, the ROC is the twelfth leading exporting nation of the world and the fifth leading trading partner of the United States. The armed forces number about half a million, with reserves of more than 2 million troops. Despite these factors, the ROC is not officially recognized by most countries and is represented in neither the United Nations nor its affiliated agencies. Only a few international organizations accept the ROC as a member and even within those organizations, the ROC’s standing remains uncertain. This paper surveys the status of the ROC in the context of the international law of recognition and the problems it faces in maintaining its foreign relations through unorthodox channels.