Over the past several decades, Taiwan has had to struggle to overcome China’s attempts to isolate it politically. Although Taiwan’s “international space” has indeed been constrained compared with most countries, the use of flexible and pragmatic diplomacy has enabled Taiwan to maintain effective links with the rest of the world community. Writing a new chapter in the history of diplomacy, for example, Taiwan has been able to conduct relations with other countries through such institutions as the American Institute in Taiwan, the Interchange Association (Japan), and the various European trade offices rather than through formal embassies.