One China Policy

The One China Policy is the diplomatic framework most third countries use to manage relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC) and Taiwan (the Republic of China, ROC). Under it, a government formally recognizes the PRC in Beijing as the legitimate government of China and does not maintain official diplomatic relations with Taipei, instead conducting trade, cultural, and often security ties with Taiwan through unofficial bodies.

It is important to distinguish the policy from the PRC's One China Principle, which asserts that there is only one China, that Taiwan is part of China, and that the PRC is its sole legal government. Many states—including the United States—adopt a One China policy without explicitly endorsing the PRC's claim of sovereignty over Taiwan.

Key reference points:

• UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 (1971) transferred China's UN seat from the ROC to the PRC, though it did not explicitly address Taiwan's status.
• The U.S.–PRC Shanghai Communiqué (1972), the Joint Communiqué on Establishment of Diplomatic Relations (1979), and the August 17 Communiqué (1982) form the basis of Washington's position, which "acknowledges" but does not "recognize" the PRC's claim to Taiwan.
• The U.S. Taiwan Relations Act (1979) and the later "Six Assurances" commit Washington to providing Taiwan with defensive arms and maintaining unofficial relations through the American Institute in Taiwan.

Variants differ widely. Japan "understands and respects" the PRC position (1972 Joint Communiqué); the UK "acknowledges" it; some states fully endorse the One China Principle. A small number of states—mostly in the Pacific, Caribbean, and Vatican City—still recognize the ROC instead.

The policy shapes debates over arms sales, high-level visits, Taiwan's participation in bodies like the WHO and ICAO, and the language used in joint statements. It remains one of the most consequential and contested frameworks in contemporary diplomacy.