When Soviet-backed communist militants took over China in 1949, the previous government fled to Taiwan. From 1950 until 1972, the U.S. recognized the government of Taiwan as the sole legitimate ruler of the lands encompassing China and Taiwan. In 1972, Republican President Richard Nixon ended this policy. In 1979, Democratic President Jimmy Carter derecognized the government of Taiwan and declared that the Communist government in China is the sole legitimate ruler of both China and Taiwan.