<P> Since its founding in 1949 , the People 's Republic of China ( PRC ) has had a diplomatic tug - of - war with its rival in Taiwan , the Republic of China ( ROC ) . Throughout the Cold War , both governments claimed to be the sole legitimate government of all China and allowed countries to recognize either one or the other . Until the 1970s , most Western countries recognized the ROC while the communist bloc and third world countries generally recognized the PRC . This gradually shifted and today only 19 UN member states recognize the ROC while the PRC is recognized by the United Nations and the majority ( 175 ) of sovereign states around the world and Palestine . Both the ROC and the PRC maintain the requirement of recognizing its view of the One - China policy to establish or maintain diplomatic relations . </P>
<P> Since its founding in 1949 , the People 's Republic of China ( PRC ) has had a diplomatic tug - of - war with its rival in Taiwan , the Republic of China ( ROC ) . Throughout the Cold War , both governments claimed to be the sole legitimate government of all China and allowed countries to recognize either one or the other . Until the 1970s , most Western countries recognized the ROC while the communist bloc and third world countries generally recognized the PRC . This gradually shifted and today only 19 UN member states recognize the ROC while the PRC is recognized by the United Nations and the majority ( 175 ) of sovereign states around the world and Palestine . Both the ROC and the PRC maintain the requirement of recognizing its view of the One - China policy to establish or maintain diplomatic relations . </P>
when was the people 's republic of china recognized
when was the people 's republic of china recognized
1949
1949