Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office
Encyclopedia
A Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO), sometimes known as a Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) or a Taipei Representative Office , is a representative office, established by the Republic of China
(Taiwan) in countries that have diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China
(PRC). Under the terms of the One China Policy, such countries may not have formally diplomatic relations with the ROC.
These establishments use the term "Taipei
" instead of "Taiwan
" or "ROC" since the term "Taipei
" avoids implying that Taiwan
is a different country on a par with the PRC or that there are "Two Chinas
", the PRC and the ROC, both of which would cause difficulties for their host countries.
TECROs state that their aim is "to promote bilateral trade, investment, culture, science and technology exchanges and cooperation, as well as better understanding", although they perform many of the same functions as a normal embassy or consulate general, like issuing visas and passports
.
TECROs do enjoy many diplomatic privileges such as extraterritoriality
,providing consular protection
and their staffs do have diplomatic immunity
. Other countries also establish reciprocal representative offices in Taiwan, such as the American Institute in Taiwan
, Canadian Trade Office in Taipei
and Interchange Association, Japan
.
Originally called the Coordination Council for North American Affairs (CCNAA). As a result of the Clinton Administration's Taiwan Policy Review of 1994, the name of the CCNAA office in Washington, D.C. (the "embassy") was changed to "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office" (TECRO), and the names of the 12 other CCNAA offices ("consulates") in the United States were changed to "Taipei Economic and Cultural Office" (TECO).
However, the situation in Okinawa
was different. Okinawa was occupied by the United States since the end of World War II until 1972, and its name under the occupation was Ryukyu. In 1958, the ROC established Sino-Ryukyuan Cultural and Economic Association. After Okinawa's return to Japan in May 1972 and the severance of diplomatic relations in September, the Office in Okinawa remained with the same name. This office, under a different title, had existed simultaneously with the TECRO offices in Japan until 2006, when the office in Okinawa was merged into the Office in Tokyo.
This curiosity may have arisen because the Ryūkyū Kingdom
was a tributary state
of China (the Ming
and Qing
Dynasties) before the 19th century, and consequently the ROC, as the successor government of the Qing, may for historical reasons have distinguished Okinawa from Japan. However, in 2006, Taiwan officially acknowledged that Okinawa is now part of Japan.
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
(Taiwan) in countries that have diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
(PRC). Under the terms of the One China Policy, such countries may not have formally diplomatic relations with the ROC.
These establishments use the term "Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
" instead of "Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
" or "ROC" since the term "Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
" avoids implying that Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
is a different country on a par with the PRC or that there are "Two Chinas
Two Chinas
The term Two Chinas refers to the two states with "China" in their official names: People's Republic of China , commonly known as "China", established in 1949, controlling mainland China and two special administrative regions, Hong Kong and Macau...
", the PRC and the ROC, both of which would cause difficulties for their host countries.
TECROs state that their aim is "to promote bilateral trade, investment, culture, science and technology exchanges and cooperation, as well as better understanding", although they perform many of the same functions as a normal embassy or consulate general, like issuing visas and passports
Republic of China passport
The Republic of China passport is the national passport issued to nationals of the Republic of China with household registration in the Taiwan Area and certain Overseas Chinese...
.
TECROs do enjoy many diplomatic privileges such as extraterritoriality
Extraterritoriality
Extraterritoriality is the state of being exempt from the jurisdiction of local law, usually as the result of diplomatic negotiations. Extraterritoriality can also be applied to physical places, such as military bases of foreign countries, or offices of the United Nations...
,providing consular protection
Consular assistance
Consular assistance is help and advice provided by the diplomatic agents of a country to citizens of that country who are living or traveling overseas.Such assistance may take the form of:* provision of replacement travel documents...
and their staffs do have diplomatic immunity
Diplomatic immunity
Diplomatic immunity is a form of legal immunity and a policy held between governments that ensures that diplomats are given safe passage and are considered not susceptible to lawsuit or prosecution under the host country's laws...
. Other countries also establish reciprocal representative offices in Taiwan, such as the American Institute in Taiwan
American Institute in Taiwan
The American Institute in Taiwan is a non-profit, public corporation established under the auspices of the United States government to serve its interests in Taiwan...
, Canadian Trade Office in Taipei
Canadian Trade Office in Taipei
The Canadian Trade Office in Taipei is Canada's representation in the Republic of China .- History :Canada and the People's Republic of China signed a joint communiqué marking the establishment of diplomatic relations on October 13, 1970...
and Interchange Association, Japan
Interchange Association, Japan
The serves as the representative office of Japan in Taiwan. The establishment of diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China in 1972 required termination of diplomatic relations with the Republic of China...
.
TECRO in the United States
U.S. TECRO Representatives
- Gong-chuan Hsia, 1979 - 1981
- Wei-pin Tsai, 1981 - 1982
- Frederick Chien , 1982 - 1988
- Mao-shi Ding, 1988 - 1994
- Chao-chung Lu, 1994 - 1996
- Jason Hu, 1996 - 1997
- Stephen S. F. Chen, 1997 - 2000
- Chien-jen Chen, 2000 - 2004
- David Ta-wei Lee, 2004 - April 2007
- Joseph Wu, 2007 - 2008
- Jason Yuan, 2008 -
TECRO in Japan
Diplomatic relations between ROC and Japan were broken off in September 1972. For practical reasons, the Association of East Asian Relations (EARA), was established in two months after Japan-China Joint Communique was signed. EARA had offices in Taipei, Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka. In 1992, Japan authorized the change in name of EARA to TECRO, a move that was followed by U.S. President Bill Clinton in 1994.However, the situation in Okinawa
Okinawa Prefecture
is one of Japan's southern prefectures. It consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over long, which extends southwest from Kyūshū to Taiwan. Okinawa's capital, Naha, is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island...
was different. Okinawa was occupied by the United States since the end of World War II until 1972, and its name under the occupation was Ryukyu. In 1958, the ROC established Sino-Ryukyuan Cultural and Economic Association. After Okinawa's return to Japan in May 1972 and the severance of diplomatic relations in September, the Office in Okinawa remained with the same name. This office, under a different title, had existed simultaneously with the TECRO offices in Japan until 2006, when the office in Okinawa was merged into the Office in Tokyo.
This curiosity may have arisen because the Ryūkyū Kingdom
Ryukyu Kingdom
The Ryūkyū Kingdom was an independent kingdom which ruled most of the Ryukyu Islands from the 15th century to the 19th century. The Kings of Ryūkyū unified Okinawa Island and extended the kingdom to the Amami Islands in modern-day Kagoshima Prefecture, and the Sakishima Islands near Taiwan...
was a tributary state
Tributary state
The term tributary state refers to one of the two main ways in which a pre-modern state might be subordinate to a more powerful neighbour. The heart of the relationship was that the tributary would send a regular token of submission to the superior power...
of China (the Ming
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
and Qing
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
Dynasties) before the 19th century, and consequently the ROC, as the successor government of the Qing, may for historical reasons have distinguished Okinawa from Japan. However, in 2006, Taiwan officially acknowledged that Okinawa is now part of Japan.
Representation in Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, from the early 1960s, Taiwan was represented by the 'Chung Hwa Travel Service', a name chosen to avoid upsetting Beijing. In July 2011, amid warming relations between Taiwan and Beijing, the name was formally changed to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, bringing it into line with other Taiwan offices around the world.TRO in the United Kingdom
In 1950, the UK switched recognition from Taiwan to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), while maintaining the British Consulate in Tamsui, through which the UK continued to carry out consular and trade-related activities. The Consulate was closed after the UK and the PRC upgraded relations to Ambassadorial level in March 1972, and in June 1980 the building and land of the Consulate were returned to the Taiwanese government. The Taiwanese government’s office in the UK was set up in September 1963, and at the time was known as the Free Chinese Centre. On 15 April 1992, this was revised to become the Taipei Representative Office in the UK.Taipei representative offices around the world
The list below shows the countries where TECROs/TROs are established. The third column are those in which the title of the overseas offices is different.(Oficina Comercial y Cultural de Taipei, Argentina) (Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Vienna, Austria) (Trade Mission of Taiwan to the Kingdom of Bahrain) (Taipei Representative Office in Belgium) (Oficina Comercial de Taiwán en Bolivia) (Oficina Comercial de Taipei, Bogotá, Colombia, S.A.) (Oficina Comercial de Taiwán, Quito, Ecuador) (Trade Mission of the Taiwan, Suva, Republic of Fiji Islands) (Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Hong Kong) (Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in New Delhi, India) (Taipei Representative Office in Ireland) (Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Tel-Aviv) (Commercial Office of Taiwan, Jordan) (Taipei Mission in Korea) (Taipei Commercial Representative Office in the State of Kuwait) (Taipei Mission in the Republic of Latvia) (Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Macau) (Taipei Trade and Economic Representative Office in Ulaanbaatar) (The Trade Mission Taiwan Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria) (Taipei Representative Office in Norway) (The Trade Mission of Taiwan in Papua New Guinea) (Taipei Economic and Cultural Center, Portugal) (Representative Office in Moscow for The Taipei-Moscow Economic and Cultural Coordination Commission) (Taipei Liaison Office in the Republic of South Africa) (Taipei Mission in Sweden) (Taipei Economic and Cultural Mission in Ankara) |
See also
- Foreign relations of the Republic of ChinaForeign relations of the Republic of ChinaThe Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan, is recognized by sovereign states. The course of the foreign relations of the ROC is dominated by maintaining diplomatic relations with these countries, as well as unofficial relations with other countries via its de facto embassies and...
- Republic of China diplomatic missions
- Political status of TaiwanPolitical status of TaiwanThe controversy regarding the political status of Taiwan hinges on whether Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu should remain effectively independent as territory of the Republic of China , become unified with the territories now governed by the People's Republic of China , or formally declare...
- Chinese TaipeiChinese TaipeiChinese Taipei is the designated name used by the Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan, to participate in some international organizations and almost all sporting events, such as the Olympics, Paralympics, Asian Games and Asian Para Games...
- Hong Kong Economic and Trade OfficeHong Kong Economic and Trade OfficeThe Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices are the representations of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China abroad and in mainland China...
- Huayu Enrichment ScholarshipHuayu Enrichment ScholarshipThe Huayu Enrichment Scholarship , is an international award for the study of Mandarin Chinese in Taiwan.Huayu Scholars may study at any university or college-affiliated Mandarin training center. The scholarship is awarded for one year. However, it may also be held for three, six or nine months...
- Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in HoustonTaipei Economic and Cultural Office in HoustonTaipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston is the Republic of China's diplomatic facility in Houston, Texas, United States. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office is on the 20th Floor in 11 Greenway Plaza...