Mark Yannone - Arizona, District 3, 2004 Congressional Candidate, independent - click to return to home page
Issues - Foreign Aid - Foreign Aid Budget - American Institute in Taiwan (AIT)
Taiwan's flag

"Protectionism is the ally of isolationism, and isolationism is the Dracula of American foreign policy."

William G Hyland, former national security adviser
Commencement address at Washington University, St Louis,
NY Times 17 May 87
The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) is a non-profit, private corporation established shortly after the United States Government changed its diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing on January 1, 1979. The Taiwan Relations Act (PL 96-8) of April 10, 1979, authorized the continuation of "commercial, cultural and other relations between the people of the United States and the people on Taiwan." It also provided that "any programs, transactions, or other relations conducted or carried out by the President or any Agency of the United States Government with respect to Taiwan shall, in the manner and to the extent directed by the President, be conducted and carried out by or through the American Institute in Taiwan." The Department of State, through a contract with the Institute, provides a large part of AIT's funding and guidance in its operations. Congress, in passing the Taiwan Relations Act, also assumed an oversight role with respect to the Institute's operations.

AIT has a small Washington headquarters office (AIT/W) located in Arlington, Virginia that acts as a liaison with its counterpart organization, the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) as well as with U.S. government agencies.

AIT's Taipei Office (AIT/T) with a total staff of just over 300 people undertakes a wide range of activities representing U.S. interests, including commercial services, economic and political reporting, agricultural sales, travel services, cultural exchange, and military sales. The Institute also operates a Chinese language school, trade center, and library. AIT/T has a branch office in Kaohsiung (AIT/K) that handles local commercial promotion, travel services, information and cultural work, as well as political and economic reporting.

The Director of the Taipei Office is Douglas H. Paal.

Find out more about the American Institute in Taiwan by click HERE

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