As a subject matter expert in international relations and historical diplomacy, I specialize in the analysis of significant milestones in global governance. One such pivotal moment was the establishment and evolution of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which is central to understanding the question at hand: when did China become a permanent member of the UN Security Council?
The United Nations was founded in 1945, following the end of World War II, with the aim of preventing future global conflicts and promoting international cooperation. The UNSC, as one of the six principal organs of the UN, was created to ensure international peace and security. It is composed of 15 members, including five permanent members (P5) who possess veto power. The original P5 members were the Republic of China (ROC), France, the Soviet Union (now the Russian Federation), the United Kingdom, and the United States.
However, the situation regarding China's representation in the UNSC underwent a significant change in the 1970s. The People's Republic of China (PRC), which was established in 1949 after the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) won the Chinese Civil War, had been excluded from the UN and the UNSC due to the insistence of the ROC that it was the sole legitimate representative of China. This led to a protracted debate within the UN, as many countries recognized the PRC as the legitimate government of China and called for its inclusion in the UN.
The turning point came in 1971 when the UN General Assembly passed Resolution 2758, which recognized the PRC as "the only legitimate representative of China to the United Nations" and expelled the ROC from its representation. This resolution effectively made the PRC the successor state to the ROC in the UN and the UNSC, granting the PRC all the rights and obligations previously held by the ROC, including the permanent seat on the UNSC.
The transition was formalized on October 25, 1971, when the PRC was restored to its lawful seat at the UN and the UNSC. This marked a significant shift in the global political landscape, as the PRC became a key player in international affairs and a critical voice in matters of peace and security.
In conclusion, while the ROC was a founding member and a permanent member of the UNSC from 1945 until 1971, it was the PRC that became the permanent member of the UNSC following the UN General Assembly's Resolution 2758. The PRC's accession to the UNSC was a landmark event that reflected the changing dynamics of international relations and the recognition of the PRC as the legitimate representative of China in the global community.

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Republic of China in the UN (1945-C1971) The Republic of China (ROC) was a charter member of the United Nations and one of five permanent members of the Security Council until 1971. The ROC joined the United Nations as a founding member on 24 October 1945.read more >>