Dear Richard Hartzell,

Thank you for your letter of June 4 (2008) to Secretary Rice. You asked whether the United States has been "holding" Taiwan's sovereignty since 1945 and whether Taiwan, like Puerto Rico, is part of the United States.

The United States has never claimed to have acquired title to Taiwan by law, treaty or conquest. Our relations with Taiwan are governed by the three Joint Communiques and Taiwan Relation Act. The 1972 Shanghai Communique "acknowledges that all Chinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait maintains there is but one China and that Taiwan is a part of China."

Although the United States recognizes the PRC Government as the sole legal government of China, we have not formally recognized Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan. In fact, we have not made any determination as to Taiwan's political status. Our consistent position remains that sovereignty of Taiwan is a question to be decided peacefully by the Chinese people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. I hope this information is useful to you.

Sincerely,