arty (CNP); Labor Party (LP)

Other political or pressure groups: Taiwan independence movement,
various environmental groups
note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the
mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization
and the increased representation of the opposition Democratic
Progressive Party in Taiwan's legislature have opened public debate on
the island's national identity; advocates of Taiwan independence, both
within the DPP and the ruling Kuomintang, oppose the ruling party's
traditional stand that the island will eventually unify with mainland
China; the aims of the Taiwan independence movement include
establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the UN; other
organizations supporting Taiwan independence include the World United
Formosans for Independence and the Organization for Taiwan Nation
Building

Member of: expelled from UN General Assembly and Security Council on
25 October 1971 and withdrew on same date from other
charter-designated subsidiary organs; expelled from IMF/World Bank
group April/May 1980; seeking to join GATT; attempting to retain
membership in INTELSAT; suspended from IAEA in 1972, but still allows
IAEA controls over extensive atomic development, APEC, AsDB, BCIE,
ICC, IOC, WCL

Diplomatic representation in US: none; unofficial commercial and
cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through a
private instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural
Representative Office (TECRO) with headquarters in Taipei and field
offices in Washington and 10 other US cities

US diplomatic representation: unofficial commercial and cultural
relations with the people of Taiwan are maintained through a private
institution, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which has offices
in Taipei at #7, Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, telephone [886]
(2) 709-2000, and in Kao-hsiung at #2 Chung Cheng 3d Road, telephone
[886] (7) 224-0154 through 0157, and the American Trade Center at Room
3207 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333
Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei 10548, telephone [886] (2) 720-1550

Flag: red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays

@Taiwan:Economy

Overview: Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with considerable
government guidance of investment and foreign trade and partial
government ow