Of course, even Latin American countries without official relationships with Taipei often try to maintain good “non-official” relations, which may include opening reciprocal missions, often disguised as nonprofit foundations or businesses, in their respective capitals. The lack of diplomatic links has not prevented Taiwan from undertaking significant trade with Brazil, Chile, and Mexico. However, the Taiwanese government believes that the ability to conduct relations with sovereign states on an equal basis is vital to the legitimacy of its own claim to sovereignty.