People's Republic of China

The government of China set up in 1949 after the victory of the communist forces of Mao Zedong . The People's Republic ruled the mainland of China, forcing the government of Nationalist China (see also Nationalist China ) into exile on the island of Taiwan . For years, many Western nations, especially the United States, refused to recognize the People's Republic as the government of mainland China; instead, they exchanged ambassadors only with Nationalist China. The United States recognized the People's Republic as the government of China in 1979.