The Republic of China (ROC) on Taiwan has to endure the ignominy of being simultaneously watched over by the US and confined by China. The US likes to keep a close eye on Taiwan, because although Japan renounced Taiwan as a colonial territory, under the terms of the US-directed San Francisco Peace Treaty — which entered into force in 1952 and officially ended World War II in the Asia-Pacific region — Taiwan was not reassigned to any other nation. The US’ Taiwan Relations Act also contains relevant clauses, while China’s continued persistence in its claim of sovereignty over the ROC squatters on Taiwan means that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has yet to break free from China’s spell.