Taiwan explained: Why China claims it, and why the U.S. is involved

This article was originally published on CFR.org and updated by NBC News

This article was originally published on CFR.org and updated by NBC News.

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Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), is an island separated from China by the Taiwan Strait. Mainland China, officially the People’s Republic of China (PRC), is under Chinese Communist Party (CCP) rule and asserts that Taiwan is an integral part of its territory, though it has never governed the island.

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