Since its establishment, the People's Republic of China (PRC)
has worked vigorously to win international support for its
position that it is the sole legitimate government of all China,
including Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Until the early 1970s,
the Republic of China government in Taipei was recognized
diplomatically by most world powers and the UN. After the
Beijing government assumed the China seat in the United Nations
in 1971 (and the ROC government was expelled) and became
increasingly more significant as a global player, most nations
switched diplomatic relations from the Republic of China to the
People's Republic of China. Japan established diplomatic
relations with the PRC in 1972, following the Joint Communiqué
between the Governments of Japan and the People's Republic of
China; the United States followed in 1972. The number of
countries that have established diplomatic relations with
Beijing has risen to 165, while 24 maintain diplomatic relations
with the Republic of China (Taiwan). Both the PRC