中華民國 Jhonghuá Mínguó Republic of China
Flag National Emblem
Anthem: National Anthem of the Republic of China
Capital (and largest city)		Taipei[1] 25°02′N, 121°38′E
Official languages		Standard Mandarin (Guóyǔ)[2] (Chinese)
Demonym		Taiwanese or Chinese*
Government		Semi-presidential system
-	President	Ma Ying-jeou
-	Vice President	Vincent Siew
-	Premier	Liu Chao-shiuan
Establishment		Xinhai Revolution
-	Start of Xinhai Revolution	October 10, 1911
-	Republic established	January 1, 1912
-	Relocated to Taiwan	December 7, 1949
Area
-	Total	36,188 km² (136th) 13,975 sq mi
-	Water (%)	10. The National Flag of the Republic of China ( is a well-known symbol of the Republic of China (ROC The Blue Sky with a White Sun ( serves as the design for the party Flag and Emblem of the Kuomintang (KMT the canton of the Flag A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's " National Anthem of the Republic of China " is the current National anthem of the Republic of China (ROC Taiwan's population was estimated in July 2007 at 22858872 spread across a total land area of 35980 km² making it the fifteenth most densely populated country in the world Taipei ( Taiwanese Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tâi-pak-chhī Jhuyin Fuhao: ㄊㄞˊ ㄅㄟˇ ㄕˋ Hakka: Thòi-pet-sṳ has been the capital of An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory Standard Mandarin, also known as Standard Spoken Chinese, is the official modern Chinese spoken language used in mainland China and Taiwan A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. The semi-presidential system is a System of government in which a prime minister and a President are both active participants in the day-to-day administration The President of the Republic of China ( is the Head of state of the Republic of China (ROC (commonly known as Taiwan since the 1970s NOTICE*************** The Vice President of the Republic of China ( is the second-highest executive official of the Republic of China (commonly known as 'Taiwan' since the 1970s a political Vincent C Siew ( POJ: Siau Ban-Tiong (born January 3, 1939) was the first Taiwanese born Premier of the Republic of China and former The President of the Executive Yuan ( commonly known in English as the Premier of Taiwan ( is the head of the Executive Yuan, the Executive Liu Chao-shiuan ( POJ: Lau Tiau-Hian born May 10, 1943) is the current Premier of the Republic of China, an educator and President of This article discusses history of the state which currently governs Taiwan Area. The Xinhai Revolution or Shinhai Revolution ( also known as the 1911 Revolution or the Chinese Revolution, began with the Wuchang Uprising The Wuchang Uprising of October 10 1911 started the Xinhai Revolution, which led to the collapse of the Qing Dynasty and the establishment Events 680 - Battle of Karbala: Shia Imam Husayn bin Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, is decapitated Year 1911 ( MCMXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting Events 43 BC - Marcus Tullius Cicero assassinated 1696 - Connecticut Route 108, one of the oldest highways Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions  Areas between 10000 km² and 100000 km² are listed here This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" 34
Population
-	2007 estimate	22,911,292[3] (47th)
-	Density	633. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 12/km² (14th) 1,639. List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² 43/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2007 estimate
-	Total	$695. The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 388 billion (19th)
-	Per capita	$30,126 (28th)
GDP (nominal)		2007 estimate
-	Total	$383,307 billion (24th)
-	Per capita	$16,274 (36th)
HDI (2005)		▲ 0. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita PLEASE NO RANDOM FIGURES THERE ARE NO FIGURES BASED ON NATIONAL STATISTICS IN THIS ARTICLE Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product Per capita at Nominal values, the The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 932 (high) (23rd if ranked)
Currency		New Taiwan dollar (NT$) (TWD)
Time zone		CST (UTC+8)
Internet TLD		.tw
Calling code		+886
* Due to the government's territory after 1949 having little overlap with its pre-1945 territory, those who were nationals before 1949 are likely to be identified as "Chinese". This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The New Taiwan dollar ( ( Currency code TWD and common abbreviation NT$) or simply Taiwan dollar, is the official Currency of the ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established The UTC+8 is a band of Timezones separated from the Greenwich Mean Time by 8 hours A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E Also, due to the controversial political status of Taiwan, those supporting Chinese reunification may refer to themselves as "Chinese" in addition or in place of "Taiwanese. The controversy regarding the political status of Taiwan hinges on whether Taiwan, including the Pescadores (Penghu should remain effectively independent as territory There is also a specific Chinese reunification of 1928. Chinese reunification ( is a goal of Chinese nationalism that refers to " Those favoring Taiwan independence tend to refer to themselves as "Taiwanese" only. Taiwan independence ( Pe̍h-oē-jī: Tâi-oân To̍k-li̍p ūn-tōng abbreviated to 台獨 Táidú Tâi-to̍k is a

The Republic of China (Abbr: ROC; traditional Chinese: 中華民國; simplified Chinese: 中华民国; Hanyu Pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínguó; Tongyong Pinyin: Jhonghuá Mínguó; Wade-Giles: Chung-hua Min-kuo; POJ: Tiong-hoa Bin-kok) is a state in East Asia that has evolved from a single-party state with full global recognition into a multi-party democratic state with limited international recognition. For the HTML tag see HTML element. An abbreviation (from Latin brevis "short" Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Tongyong pinyin ( was the official Romanization of Mandarin Chinese in the Republic of China (commonly known as Taiwan) between 2002 and 2008 Wade-Giles (ˌweɪdˈʤaɪlz) sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization system (phonetic notation and Transcription) for the Mandarin Pe̍h-ōe-jī ( POJ) ( is an Orthography in the Latin alphabet created and introduced to Fujian and Taiwan by Presbyterian A state is a political association with effective Sovereignty over a geographic Area and representing a Population. A single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of Party system Government in which a single Political party The controversy regarding the political status of Taiwan hinges on whether Taiwan, including the Pescadores (Penghu should remain effectively independent as territory It was a founding member of the United Nations. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security ^[6] Established in 1912, the Republic of China encompassed much of mainland China. Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction In 1945 at the end of World War II the Republic of China added the island groups of Taiwan (Formosa) and the Pescadores to its authority. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including This is a list of Islands under the Republic of China administration (islands claimed but not administered by the ROC are not included on this list Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. The Pescadores ( from Portuguese, "fishermen" pron pɨʃ These island groups, together with Kinmen and Matsu, became the full extent of the Republic of China's authority after 1949 when the Kuomintang (KMT) lost the Chinese Civil War to the Chinese Communist Party and the People's Republic of China (PRC) was founded in mainland China. Kinmen, ( Traditional Chinese: 金門 Simplified Chinese: 金门 Hanyu Pinyin: Jīnmén Tongyong Pinyin: Jinmén Wades-Giles The Matsu Islands (also Mazu Islands ( are a minor Archipelago of 19 Islands and islets in the Taiwan Strait administered as Lienchiang The Communist Party of China ( CPC) ( also known as the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP) is the founding and ruling political party of the Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Under ROC law, these areas are known as the Free Area of the Republic of China. The " Free Area of the Republic of China " ( is a Legal and Political description referring to the territories of the Republic of China under

Although the Republic of China has governed only Taiwan and outlying islands since 1949, during the early Cold War the ROC was recognized by most Western nations and the United Nations as the sole legitimate government of China. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the During the 1970s, the ROC began to lose these recognitions in favor of the People's Republic of China. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES The Republic of China has not formally relinquished its claim as the legitimate government of all China. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Both Presidents Lee Teng-hui and Chen Shui-bian have held the view that it is a sovereign and independent country separate from mainland China and there is no need for a formal declaration of independence. Lee Teng-hui ( POJ: Lí Teng-hui born 15 January 1923 is a Politician of Taiwan. Chen Shui-bian ( born October 12, 1950) is a Taiwanese politician and former President of the Republic of China. Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction ^[7]

During the 1950s and 1960s, it was common to refer to the Republic of China as Nationalist China or Free China. Over subsequent decades, the Republic of China has been commonly referred to as "Taiwan". Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. Since the late 1970s the name "China" is commonly used to refer to the People's Republic of China. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Because of diplomatic pressure from the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China is referred to as "Chinese Taipei" in most international organizations. Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting Negotiations between representatives of groups or states Chinese Taipei is the designated name used by the Republic of China (ROC, commonly known as Taiwan, to participate in some International The capital city is Taipei. A city is an Urban area with a large Population and a particular Administrative, Legal, or Historical status Taipei ( Taiwanese Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tâi-pak-chhī Jhuyin Fuhao: ㄊㄞˊ ㄅㄟˇ ㄕˋ Hakka: Thòi-pet-sṳ has been the capital of ^[1]

The Republic of China was established in 1912, replacing the Qing Dynasty and ending over two thousand years of imperial rule in China. Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China The following is a Chronology of the dynasties in Chinese history. It is the oldest surviving republic in East Asia. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its The Republic of China on mainland China went through periods of warlordism, Japanese invasion, civil war between the Kuomintang and the Communists. The Warlord era is the period in the History of the Republic of China, from 1916 to the late-1930s when the country was divided among military cliques, a division The Second Sino-Japanese War ( July 7, 1937 to September 9, 1945) was a major war fought between the Republic of China and the The Republic of China on Taiwan has experienced rapid economic growth and industrialization, and democratization.

Starting in 1928, the Republic of China was ruled by the Kuomintang as an authoritarian one-party state. Authoritarianism describes a Form of government characterized by an emphasis on the Authority of the State in a republic or union A single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of Party system Government in which a single Political party ^[8] In the 1950s and 1960s, the KMT went through wide restructuring and decreased corruption and implemented land reform. Political corruption is the use of governmental powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain Land reforms (also Agrarian reform, though that can have a broader meaning is an often- controversial alteration in the societal arrangements whereby government There followed a period of great economic growth, the Republic of China became one of the Four Asian Tigers, despite the constant threat of war and civil unrest. The term Four Asian Tigers or East Asian Tigers refers to the Economies of South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore In the 1980s and 1990s the government peacefully transitioned to a democratic system, with the first direct presidential election in 1996 and the 2000 election of Chen Shui-bian, the first non-KMT after 1949 to become President of the Republic of China. Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system The Election for the 9th-term President and Vice-President of the Republic of China (第九任中華民國總統 、副總統選舉 the first ever direct elections for President The Election for the 10th-term President and Vice-President of the Republic of China (第十任中華民國總統、副總統選舉 the second ever direct elections for President Chen Shui-bian ( born October 12, 1950) is a Taiwanese politician and former President of the Republic of China. The President of the Republic of China ( is the Head of state of the Republic of China (ROC (commonly known as Taiwan since the 1970s The KMT regained presidency and increased its majority in the legislature in the 2008 presidential and legislative elections. The election for the 12th-term President and Vice-President of the Republic of China was held in the Republic of China (ROC Taiwan on Saturday March 22, Legislative elections were held on January 12, 2008 in the Republic of China (Taiwan. ^[9]

Political status

Main article: Political status of Taiwan

The political status of the Republic of China is a contentious issue. The controversy regarding the political status of Taiwan hinges on whether Taiwan, including the Pescadores (Penghu should remain effectively independent as territory The People's Republic of China claims that the ROC government is illegitimate, referring to it as the "Taiwan Authority", while the ROC views itself as an independent sovereign state. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES A state is a political association with effective Sovereignty over a geographic Area and representing a Population. ^[10] The ROC actively claimed to be the sole legitimate government of all China since its retreat to Taiwan in 1949 until the lift of martial law in 1987. Martial law is the system of rules that takes effect when the military takes control of the normal administration of justice Although the administration of pro-independence President Chen Shui-bian does not actively claim jurisdiction over all of China, the national boundaries of the ROC have not been redrawn and its outstanding territorial claims from the late 1940s have not been revised. Taiwan independence ( Pe̍h-oē-jī: Tâi-oân To̍k-li̍p ūn-tōng abbreviated to 台獨 Táidú Tâi-to̍k is a Chen Shui-bian ( born October 12, 1950) is a Taiwanese politician and former President of the Republic of China. Thus, the claimed area of the ROC continue to include Mainland China, several off-shore islands, Taiwan, Outer Mongolia, northern Burma, and Tuva (now Russian territory). Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. Outer Mongolia (Ar Mongol Manchu: Tulergi Monggo) was the main part of the Bogdo Khanate of Mongolia which proclaimed its independence on 29 December 1911 Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. Tyva Republic (Респу́блика Тыва́ Respublika Tyva, rʲɪˈspublʲɪkə tɨˈva Тыва Республика Tyva Respublika) or Tuva Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending

The political environment is complicated by the potential for military conflict should overt actions toward independence or reunification be taken. There is also a specific Chinese reunification of 1928. Chinese reunification ( is a goal of Chinese nationalism that refers to It is the policy of the People's Republic of China to use force to ensure reunification if peaceful reunification is no longer possible, as stated in its anti-secession law, and there are substantial military installations on the Fujian coast for this reason. The Anti-Secession Law ( is a Law of the People's Republic of China. This article is about the People's Republic of China province ^[11] As a result of Cold War politics, the United States has provided military training and sold arms to the ROC armed forces. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the The United States of America —commonly referred to as the ^[12] However, the current status quo, as defined by the U. S. , is supported on a quid pro quo basis between both Chinese states. Quid pro quo ( Latin for "something for something") indicates a more-or-less equal exchange or substitution of goods or services The PRC is expected to "use no force or threat[en] to use force against Taiwan" and the ROC is to "exercise prudence in managing all aspects of Cross-Strait relations. History Before 1949 See also " Both are to refrain from performing actions or espousing statements "that would unilaterally alter Taiwan's status. "^[13]

Within the ROC, opinions are polarized between those supporting unification, represented by the Pan-Blue Coalition of parties, and those supporting independence, represented by the Pan-Green Coalition of parties. The Pan-Blue Coalition ( or Pan-Blue Force ( is a Political alliance in the Republic of China (Taiwan consisting of the Kuomintang The Pan-Green Coalition ( or Pan-Green Camp, is currently an informal Political alliance in the Republic of China (Taiwan consisting of the The Kuomintang, the largest Pan-Blue party, supports the status quo for the indefinite future with a stated ultimate goal of unification. However, it does not support unification in the short term with the PRC as such a prospect would be unacceptable to most of its members and the public. Ma Ying-jeou, former chairman of the KMT and the current ROC President, has set out democracy, economic development to a level near that of the ROC, and equitable wealth distribution as the conditions that the mainland must fulfill for reunification to occur. NOTICE*************** The DPP, the largest Pan-Green party, also supports the status quo because the risk of provoking the PRC is unacceptable to its members. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP ( Taiwanese: Bîn-chú-chìn-pō͘-tóng Traditional Chinese: zh-Hant 民主進步黨 Simplified Chinese: zh-Hans However, President Chen Shui-bian of the DPP has stated that no matter what, any decision should be decided through a public referendum of the people of the ROC. Both parties' current foreign policy positions support actively advocating ROC participation in international organizations, but the KMT accepts the "One-China" principle and the DPP encourages economic ties with countries other than the PRC for security reasons. The One-China policy ( is a principle that there is one China and that Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are all part of

For its part, the People's Republic of China appears to find the retention of the name "Republic of China" far more acceptable than the declaration of a de jure independent Taiwan. However, with the rise of the Taiwanese independence movement, the name "Taiwan" has been employed increasingly more often on the island itself. The PRC has stated that any effort in Taiwan to formally abolish the ROC and replace it with a Republic of Taiwan would result in a strong and possibly military reaction. The Republic of Taiwan ( Pe̍h-oē-jī: Tâi-oân Kiōng-hô-kok) is a goal of supporters of Taiwan independence in creating a Taiwanese state unambiguously ^[14] The current position of the United States is that the Taiwan issue must be resolved peacefully and unilateral action by either side is condemned; neither an unprovoked invasion by the PRC or a formal declaration of independence by Taiwan would be acceptable. This article is about declarations of independence in general ^[13]

Citing its One-China policy, the PRC requires other countries to give no official recognition to the ROC as a condition of maintaining diplomatic relations. As a result, there are only 23 countries that have official diplomatic relations with the Republic of China. However, most countries have unofficial representative offices in the ROC. The United States maintains unofficial relations with the ROC through the instrumentality of the American Institute in Taiwan. The American Institute in Taiwan ( AIT) serves as the representative office of the United States in Taiwan. ^[15] The ROC maintains similar de facto embassies and consulates in most countries, called "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Offices" (TECRO), with branch offices called "Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices" (TECO). A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one State or an international Inter-governmental organization (such as the United Nations) present in A Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office ( TECRO) sometimes known as a Taipei Economic and Cultural Office ( TECO) or a Taipei Representative Both TECRO and TECO are "unofficial commercial entities" of the ROC in charge of maintaining diplomatic relations, providing consular services (i. Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting Negotiations between representatives of groups or states e. Visa applications), and serving the national interests of the ROC in other countries in basically the same way as an embassy or consulate. A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one State or an international Inter-governmental organization (such as the United Nations) present in ^[16]

Also due to its One-China policy, the PRC only participates in international organizations where the ROC is not recognized as a sovereign country. In 1945, the ROC, as representative of all the territory of China, was one of the founding nations and Security Council member of the United Nations; however, in 1971, with the passage of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, it was replaced by the PRC. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 of 25 October 1971 recognized the representatives of the People's Republic of China (PRC as "the only China's seat in the United Nations and membership of the United Nations Security Council has been occupied by the People's Republic of China (PRC since October Each year since 1992, the ROC has petitioned the UN for entry but has been unsuccessful. Most member states, including the United States, do not wish to discuss the issue of the ROC's political status for fear of souring diplomatic ties with the PRC. This article lists the member states of the United Nations (UN. However, both the U. S. and Japan publicly support the ROC's bid for membership in the World Health Organization as an observer. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. ^[17] However, though the ROC has applied for WHO membership every year since 1997 under various denominations, their efforts have consistently been blocked by PRC. Also, the Republic of China is pressured to use the politically neutral name "Chinese Taipei" in international events such as the Olympic Games when the PRC is also a party. The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games The ROC is typically barred from using its national anthem and national flag in international events due to PRC pressure; ROC spectators attending events such as the Olympics are often barred from bringing ROC flags into venues. ^[18] The ROC is able to participate as "China" in organizations that the PRC does not participate in, such as the World Organization of the Scout Movement. The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM is the Non-governmental international organization which governs most national Scout Organizations, with 28 million

The relationship with the PRC and the related issues of Taiwan independence and Chinese reunification continue to dominate ROC politics. ^[19] For any particular resolution public favor shifts greatly with small changes in wording, illustrating the complexity of public opinion on the topic. ^[20]

History

Main articles: History of the Republic of China and Timeline of Republic of China history

1911–27

In 1911, after over two thousand years of imperial rule, China overthrew its dynastic system in favor of a republic. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its The Qing government, having just experienced a century of instability, suffered from both internal rebellion and foreign imperialism. Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China The Neo-Confucian principles that had, to that time, sustained the dynastic system were now called into question and a loss of cultural self-confidence was blamed for a total of 40 million Chinese consumers of opium by 1900 (roughly 10% of the population). Opium is a Narcotic formed from the Latex (ie sap released by lacerating (or "scoring" the immature seed pods of opium poppies ( ^[21] By the time of its embarrassing defeat by an expeditionary force led by the world's major powers in 1900 during the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion, the Qing government was already in its final throes, with only the lack of an alternative regime in sight prolonging its existence until 1912. The Boxer Rebellion, or Boxer Movement, was an uprising by members of the Chinese Society of Right and Harmonious Fists against foreign influence ^[22]

The establishment of Republican China developed out of the Wuchang Uprising against the Qing on October 10, 1911. The Wuchang Uprising of October 10 1911 started the Xinhai Revolution, which led to the collapse of the Qing Dynasty and the establishment Events 680 - Battle of Karbala: Shia Imam Husayn bin Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, is decapitated Year 1911 ( MCMXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The Republic of China was established on January 1, 1912, with Dr. New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting Sun Yat-sen as the provisional president. Sun Yat-sen ( November 12, 1866 &ndash March 12, 1925) was a Chinese Revolutionary and political leader often The President of the Republic of China ( is the Head of state of the Republic of China (ROC (commonly known as Taiwan since the 1970s As part of the agreement to have the last emperor Puyi abdicate, Yuan Shikai was officially elected president in 1913. Puyi ( ( February 7, 1906 &ndash October 17, 1967) of the Manchu Aisin-Gioro ruling family was the last Emperor Yuan Shikai ( Courtesy Weiting 慰亭 Pseudonym: Rong'an 容庵 ( September 16, 1859 &ndash June 6, However, Yuan dissolved the ruling Kuomintang party (KMT), ignored the provisional Constitution by asserting presidential power, and ultimately declared himself Emperor of China in 1915. The Constitution of the Republic of China ( Tongyong Pinyin: JhongHuá MínGuó SiànFǎ is the basic governing document for the Republic of China (ROC with jurisdiction The Emperor of China ( refers to any sovereign of Imperial China reigning since the founding of the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC until the fall of

Yuan's supporters deserted him, and many provinces declared independence and became warlord states. Yuan Shikai died of natural causes in 1916. This thrust China into a decade of warlordism. Sun Yat-sen, forced into exile, returned to Guangdong province with the help of southern warlords in 1917 and 1920, and set up successive rival governments. Guangdong ( EFEO: Kouangtong; Pinyin Guǎngdōng; Postal map spelling: Kwangtung) is a province on the Sun re-established the KMT in October, 1919.

The central power in Beijing struggled to hold on to power. An open and wide-ranging debate evolved regarding how China should confront the West. After the Treaty of Versailles, on May 4, a student protest led to a nationwide uprising and gave the movement its name. The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I.

Chinese anarchism, specifically anarchist communism, had been one of the most prominent forms of revolutionary socialism even before the Wuchang Uprising. The origins of Chinese Anarchism are traceable to the early Chinese Nationalist movement Socialism refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating state or collective ownership and administration of the Means of production and distribution Following the Russian Revolution, the influence of Marxism spread and became more popular. See also Russian Revolution (1905 The Russian Revolution of 1916 refers to a series of popular revolutions in Russia, and the events surrounding them Marxism is the political philosophy and practice derived from the work of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Li Dazhao and Chen Duxiu led the Marxist-Leninist movement in the beginning. Biography Early life Li was born in Leting (a county of Tangshan) Hebei province to a peasant family Chronology October 9 1879 Birth in Anqing, Anhui. 1879 to 1901 Early life and education in China Marxism-Leninism is a Communist ideological stream that emerged as the mainstream tendency amongst the Communist parties in the 1920s as it was adopted The Communist Party of China was founded in July, 1921.

1927–49

After Sun's death in March 1925, Chiang Kai-shek became the leader of the KMT. Chiang Kai-shek ( POJ: Chiúⁿ Kài-se̍k Jyutping: zoeng2gaai3sek6 GCB ( October 31, 1887 &ndash Sun Yat-sen ( November 12, 1866 &ndash March 12, 1925) was a Chinese Revolutionary and political leader often Chiang Kai-shek ( POJ: Chiúⁿ Kài-se̍k Jyutping: zoeng2gaai3sek6 GCB ( October 31, 1887 &ndash Chiang had led the successful Northern Expedition which, with the help of the Soviet Union, defeated the warlords and nominally united China under the KMT. The Northern Expedition ( was a military campaign led by the Kuomintang (KMT from 1926 to 1928. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Soviet advisors had provided training, propaganda, popular agitation, and arms. Propaganda is a concerted set of messages aimed at influencing the opinions or behaviors of large numbers of people However, Chiang soon dismissed his Soviet advisors, and purged communists and leftists from the KMT, leading to the Chinese Civil War. Communism is a Socioeconomic structure that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless Society based The Communists were pushed into the interior as Chiang Kai-shek sought to destroy them. Chiang consolidated his rule, establishing a Nationalist Government in Nanjing in 1927. ( Chinese: 南京 Romanizations Nánjīng ( Pinyin) Nan-ching ( Wade-Giles Efforts were made to establish a modern civil society, by creating the Academia Sinica, the Bank of China, and other agencies. The Academia Sinica ( "Chinese Academy" in Latin) headquartered in the Nangang District of Taipei, is the National academy Bank of China Limited ( BOC) ( often abbreviated as 中行 is one of the Big four state-owned commercial Banks of the People's Republic

1932 saw the first participation in the Olympic Games by a team, representing a nominally united China under the flag of the Republic of China. The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games

Stability was interrupted by the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931, with hostilities continuing through the Second Sino-Japanese War, part of World War II, from 1937 to 1945. On September 18, 1931, near Mukden (now Shenyang) in southern Manchuria, a section of railroad owned by Japan 's South Manchuria The Second Sino-Japanese War ( July 7, 1937 to September 9, 1945) was a major war fought between the Republic of China and the The government of the Republic of China retreated from Nanjing to Chongqing. Chongqing ( Postal map spelling: Chungking; Wade-Giles: Ch'ung-ch'ing) is the largest and most populous of the People's Republic of China In 1945, Japan surrendered and the Republic of China became one of the founding members of the United Nations. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The government returned to Nanjing.

1945 to present

After the defeat of Japan during World War II, Taiwan was surrendered to the Allies, with ROC troops accepting the surrender of the Japanese garrison. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Taiwan was pronounced "retroceded" to the Chinese Republic, the effective successors of the Chinese Qing Dynasty on October 25, 1945, although proponents of Taiwan independence dispute the validity of the proclamation, arguing that the proclamation was made without a peace treaty formally transferring sovereignty. Events 1147 - The Portuguese, under Afonso I, and Crusaders from England and Flanders conquer Lisbon after a Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Taiwan independence ( Pe̍h-oē-jī: Tâi-oân To̍k-li̍p ūn-tōng abbreviated to 台獨 Táidú Tâi-to̍k is a The military administration of the ROC extended over Taiwan, which led to widespread unrest and increasing tensions between Taiwanese and mainlanders. ^[23] The arrest of a cigarette vendor and the shooting of a bystander on February 28, 1947 triggered island-wide unrest, which was then suppressed with military force in what is now called the 228 Incident. Events 202 BC - coronation ceremony of Liu Bang as Emperor Gaozu of Han takes place initiating four centuries of the Han Dynasty 's rule Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The 228 Incident ( Pe{{unicode|̍}}h-ōe-jī: Jī-jī-pat sū-kiāⁿ also known as the 228 Massacre ( was an anti-government Anti-Chinese uprising Mainstream estimates of casualties range from 10,000 to 30,000, mainly Taiwanese elites. The administration declared martial law in 1948. Martial law is the system of rules that takes effect when the military takes control of the normal administration of justice ^[24]

The Chinese civil war between the Communists and the Nationalists resumed and intensified. By the 1950s, the Republic of China lost effective control over mainland China and Hainan. Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction Hainan ( POJ: Hai-lam Pinyin:, Jyutping: hoi2 naam4 literal meaning "South of the Sea" is the smallest province of the People's Chiang Kai-shek evacuated the government from Nanjing and made Taipei the provisional capital of China. ( Chinese: 南京 Romanizations Nánjīng ( Pinyin) Nan-ching ( Wade-Giles A temporary capital or a provisional capital is a country or a town chosen by a Government as an interim base of operations due to some difficulty in establishing Accompanying his retreat were some two million refugees from mainland China, adding to the earlier population of approximately six million. ^[25]

Initially, the United States abandoned the KMT and expected that Taiwan would fall to the Communists. However, in 1950 the conflict between North Korea and South Korea, which had been ongoing since the Japanese withdrawal in 1945, escalated into full-blown war, and in the context of the Cold War, U. North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː S. President Harry S. Truman intervened again and dispatched the 7th Fleet into the Taiwan Straits to prevent hostilities between Taiwan and mainland China. The First Taiwan Strait Crisis (also called the 1954-1955 Taiwan Strait Crisis or the 1955 Taiwan Strait Crisis) was a short Armed conflict that took place The Taiwan Strait or Formosa Strait is a 180-km-wide (11185-mile-wide Strait between Mainland China and Taiwan. ^[26] In the Treaty of San Francisco, which came into force on April 28, 1952, and the Treaty of Taipei, which came into force on August 5, 1952, Japan formally renounced all right, claim and title to Formosa (Taiwan) and the Pescadores (Peng-hu), and renounced all treaties signed with China before 1942. Attending countries Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Chile Events 1192 - Assassination of Conrad of Montferrat (Conrad I King of Jerusalem, in Tyre, two days after his title Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Sino-Japanese Peace Treaty ( Japanese: 日華平和条約 Chinese: 中日和平條約 commonly known as the Treaty of Taipei (台北和約 as it was Events 642 - Battle of Maserfield - Penda of Mercia defeats and kills Oswald of Bernicia. Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Both treaties remained silent about who would take control of the island, in part to avoid taking sides in the Chinese Civil War. Advocates of Taiwan independence have used this omission to call into question the PRC and ROC claims on Taiwan, arguing that the future of Taiwan should be decided by self-determination. Self-determination is defined as free choice of one’s own acts without external compulsion and especially as the freedom of the people of a given Territory to determine their Continuing conflict of the Chinese Civil War through the 1950s, and intervention by the United States notably resulted in legislations such as the Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty and the Formosa Resolution of 1955. Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty was a treaty between the United States of America and the Republic of China; it was signed on December 2 1954 and came into force The Formosa Resolution was a bill enacted by the US Congress on January 29, 1955 that established an American commitment to defend Formosa ( Taiwan

During the 1960s and 1970s, the ROC began to develop into a prosperous, technology-oriented industrialized developed country, while maintaining an authoritarian, single-party government. is a process of social and economic change whereby a human group is transformed from a Pre-industrial society into an industrial one The term developed country, or advanced country, is used to categorize countries with developed Economies in which the tertiary and quaternary sectors Because of the Cold War, most Western nations and the United Nations regarded the ROC as the sole legitimate government of China until the 1970s and especially after the termination of the Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty; after that, most nations switched diplomatic recognition to the PRC.

Government

Main article: Government of the Republic of China

Republican China

The first national government of the Chinese Republic was established on January 1, 1912, in Nanjing, with Sun Yat-sen as the provisional president. The Republic of China was formally established in 1912 in Nanjing under the Provisional Constitution of the Republic of China but this government was moved New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Provincial delegates were sent to confirm the authority of the national government, and they later also formed the first parliament. The power of this national government was both limited and short-lived, with generals controlling both central and northern provinces of China. The Republic of China currently administers two historical Provinces of China (one completely and a small part of another one and centrally administers two Direct-controlled The limited acts passed by this government included the formal abdication of the Qing dynasty and some economic initiatives.

Shortly after the rise of Yuan Shikai, the parliament's authority became nominal; violations of the Constitution by Yuan were met with half-hearted motions of censure, and Kuomintang members of the parliament that gave up their membership in the KMT were offered £1,000 British pounds. The Pound Sterling ( symbol £; ISO code: GBP) subdivided into 100 pence (singular penny) is the Currency Yuan maintained power locally by sending military generals to be provincial governors or by obtaining the allegiance of those already in power. Foreign powers came to recognize Yuan's power as well: when Japan came to China with 21 demands, it was Yuan who submitted to them, on May 25, 1915.

When Yuan died, the parliament of 1913 was reconvened to give legitimacy to a new government. However, the real power of the time passed to military leaders, forming the warlord period. The impotent government still had its use; when World War I began, several Western powers and Japan wanted China to declare war on Germany, in order to liquidate German holdings. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe.

Present

The head of state is the President, who is elected by popular vote for a four-year term on the same ticket as the Vice-President. Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state The President of the Republic of China ( is the Head of state of the Republic of China (ROC (commonly known as Taiwan since the 1970s The President has authority over the five administrative branches (Yuan): the Control Yuan, Examination Yuan, Executive Yuan, Judicial Yuan and Legislative Yuan. The Control Yuan (監察院 Pinyin: Jiānchá Yùan one of five branches of the Republic of China government in Taipei, is a watchdog agency that monitors The Examination Yuan ( is in charge of validating the qualification of civil servants in the Republic of China. The Executive Yuan ( literally "Executive court" is the Executive branch of the Government of the Republic of China. The Judicial Yuan (司法院 is one of five branches of the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan in Taipei and serves as the highest judicial organ in The Legislative Yuan ( is the Legislative body of the Republic of China (ROC which administers Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and The President appoints the members of the Executive Yuan as his cabinet, including a Premier, who is officially the President of the Executive Yuan; members are responsible for policy and administration. A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of Government, typically representing the executive branch. The President of the Executive Yuan ( commonly known in English as the Premier of Taiwan ( is the head of the Executive Yuan, the Executive

The main legislative body is the unicameral Legislative Yuan with one hundred and thirteen seats. A legislature is a type of representative Deliberative assembly with the power to create amend and change Laws The law created by a legislature is called Legislation Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or Parliamentary chamber Seventy-three are elected by popular vote from single-member constituencies; thirty-four are elected based on the proportion of nationwide votes received by participating political parties in a separate party list ballot; and six are elected from two three-member aboriginal constituencies. Members serve three-year terms. Originally the unicameral National Assembly, as a standing constitutional convention and electoral college, held some parliamentary functions, but the National Assembly was abolished in 2005 with the power of constitutional amendments handed over to the Legislative Yuan and all eligible voters of the Republic via referendums. The National Assembly of the Republic of China ( refers to several Parliamentary bodies that existed in the History of the Republic of China. Alternative meaning Constitutional convention (political custom A constitutional convention is a gathering for the purpose of writing a new An electoral college is a set of many electors who are empowered to elect a candidate to a particular Office. TalkParliament#Screen-size. -->A  parliament is a Legislature, especially in those

The Judicial Yuan is ROC's highest judiciary. In Law, the judiciary or judicial system is the system of Courts which administer Justice in the name of the sovereign or State It interprets the constitution and other laws and decrees, judges administrative suits, and disciplines public functionaries. The President and Vice-President of the Judicial Yuan and fifteen Justices form the Council of Grand Justices. They are nominated and appointed by the President of the Republic, with the consent of the Legislative Yuan. The highest court, the Supreme Court, consists of a number of civil and criminal divisions, each of which is formed by a presiding Judge and four Associate Judges, all appointed for life. Supreme Court of the Republic of China is the Court of last resort in the Republic of China. In 1993, a separate constitutional court was established to resolve constitutional disputes, regulate the activities of political parties and accelerate the democratization process. A constitutional court is a high court that deals primarily with Constitutional law. There is no trial by jury but the right to a fair public trial is protected by law and respected in practice; many cases are presided over by multiple judges.

The ROC's political system does not fit traditional models. The Premier is selected by the President without the need for approval from the Legislature, but the Legislature can pass laws without regard for the President, as neither he nor the Premier wields veto power. Thus, there is little incentive for the President and the Legislature to negotiate on legislation if they are of opposing parties. In fact, since the election of the pan-Green's Chen Shui-bian as President in 2000 and the continued control of the Legislative Yuan by the pan-Blue majority, legislation has repeatedly stalled, as the two sides have been deadlocked. There is another curiosity of the ROC system; because the ROC was previously dominated by strongman single party politics, real power in the system shifted from one position to another, depending on what position was currently occupied by the leader of the state. This legacy has resulted in executive powers currently being concentrated in the office of the President rather than the Premier.

The term ruling party was previously applied to the Kuomintang, as it was the authoritarian party that controlled all aspects of government (ruling party may also be applied to the majority party in a parliamentary system). The ruling party in a Parliamentary system is the Political party or Coalition of the majority in Parliament. Authoritarianism describes a Form of government characterized by an emphasis on the Authority of the State in a republic or union The Soviets, who had trained Chiang and the KMT and the Communists, left a lasting mark on the practices of the KMT, and under a Leninist -style single-party state, there was little difference between the ROC government, the KMT, and the army. Leninism refers to various related political and economic theories elaborated by Bolshevik revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin. A single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of Party system Government in which a single Political party Today, however, the term "ruling party" has a specific, peculiar use in Taiwan and is used to describe the party holding the Presidency. This is not entirely accurate since Taiwan does not have a parliamentary system, where the executive branch is occupied by the same party or coalition that holds a majority in the legislature. This term is currently used because the Premier is appointed by the President, thus executive powers tend to be dominated by the party holding the Presidency.

See also: Constitution of the Republic of China

Administrative regions

Main article: Administrative divisions of the Republic of China

According to the 1947 Constitution, written before the ROC government retreated to Taiwan, the highest level administrative division is the province, which includes special administrative regions, regions, and centrally-administered municipalities. The Constitution of the Republic of China ( Tongyong Pinyin: JhongHuá MínGuó SiànFǎ is the basic governing document for the Republic of China (ROC with jurisdiction The Republic of China currently administers two historical Provinces of China (one completely and a small part of another one and centrally administers two Direct-controlled A constitution is a system for government often Codified as a written document that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity A province, in the context of China, is a translation of sheng ( which is an administrative division In the subdivision of the Republic of China (ROC, "special administrative regions" ( were historically used to designate special areas most of which were eventually Political divisions of China This is a list of the 31 provincial-level divisions of the People's Republic of China grouped by its former administrative areas from 1949 to 1952 which Direct-controlled municipality (直辖市 zhíxiáshì) is the highest level classificiation for Cities used by Chinese governments with status equal to However, in 1998 the only provincial government to remain fully functional under ROC jurisdiction, Taiwan Province, was streamlined, with most responsibility assumed by the central government and the county-level governments (the other existing provincial government, Fuchien, was streamlined much earlier). History In 1683 following a naval engagement with Admiral Shi Lang, Koxinga 's (Cheng Ch'eng Kung grandson Zheng Keshuang and ruler of Taiwan The ROC currently administers two provinces and two provincial level cities.

Counties

The Republic of China also controls the Pratas Islands (Dong-Sha) and Taiping Island, which are part of the disputed South China Sea Islands. The Pratas Islands or Dongsha Islands ( consists of three islands located in northeastern South China Sea, 340 km southeast of Hong Kong. Itu Aba Island or Taiping Island (Ligaw/Ligao; Đảo Ba Bình is the largest of the Spratly Islands (Nansha Islands in the South China Sea. The South China Sea Islands (or Nanhai Islands, simplified: 南海诸岛 traditional: 南海諸島 Pinyin: Nánhǎi Zhūdǎo consist of over They were placed under Kaohsiung City after the retreat to Taiwan. ^[27]

Taichung is currently under consideration for elevation to central municipality status. Taichung ( is a city located in west-central Taiwan with a population of just over one million people making it the third largest city on the island after Taipei Also, Taipei County and Kaohsiung County are considering mergers with their respective cities.

The ROC has not constitutionally renounced sovereignty over Mainland China and Outer Mongolia, but President Lee Teng-hui announced in 1991 that his government does not dispute the fact that the Communist Party rules Mainland China. Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction Outer Mongolia (Ar Mongol Manchu: Tulergi Monggo) was the main part of the Bogdo Khanate of Mongolia which proclaimed its independence on 29 December 1911 In practice, although ROC law still formally recognizes residents of mainland China as citizens of the ROC, it makes a distinction between persons who have household residency in the Free Area of the Republic of China and those that do not, meaning that persons outside the area administered by the ROC must apply for special travel documents and cannot vote in ROC elections. The " Free Area of the Republic of China " ( is a Legal and Political description referring to the territories of the Republic of China under The DPP government under Chen Shui-bian has established a representative office in Mongolia's capital, Ulan Bator. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP ( Taiwanese: Bîn-chú-chìn-pō͘-tóng Traditional Chinese: zh-Hant 民主進步黨 Simplified Chinese: zh-Hans Chen Shui-bian ( born October 12, 1950) is a Taiwanese politician and former President of the Republic of China. Mongolia (mɒŋˈɡoʊliə, literally Mongol country/nation,) is a Landlocked Country in East Ulan Bator, or Ulaanbaatar (Улаанбаатар is the Capital and largest city of Mongolia. Offices established to create the appearance of domestic governance of those regions, such as the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission,^[28] lie dormant. ^[29]

Municipalities and cities

ROC official boundaries continue to show thirty-five provinces, fourteen municipalities, one special administrative region and two regions, instead of the twenty-three provinces, four municipalities, two special administrative regions and five autonomous regions shown on PRC maps. The former DPP government of Chen Shui-bian had dropped regulations which had required ROC map makers to depict the constitutional boundaries. Chen Shui-bian ( born October 12, 1950) is a Taiwanese politician and former President of the Republic of China.

Politics

Main article: Politics of the Republic of China

1911–49

The original founding of the Republic centered on the Three Principles of the People (san min zhuyi): Nationalism, Democracy, and People's Livelihood (also translated "Socialism"). The Politics of the Republic of China (ROC takes place in a framework of a Semi-presidential representative democratic Republic, The Three Principles of the People, also Translated as Three People's Principles, or collectively San-min Doctrine, is a Political Philosophy The term nationalism can refer to an Ideology, a sentiment, a form of Culture, or a Social movement that focuses on the Nation Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system Socialism refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating state or collective ownership and administration of the Means of production and distribution "Nationalism" meant standing up to Japanese and European interference, "democracy" represented elected rule modeled after the Diet of Japan, and the "people's livelihood" meant government regulation of the means of production. The is Japan's Bicameral Legislature. It is composed of a Lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an Upper house, called Means Of Production is a compilation of Aim 's early 12" and EP releases recorded between 1995 and 1998 Another subordinate principle was the "republic of Five Races" (五族共和), which emphasized the harmony of the five major ethnic groups in China (Han, Manchus, Mongols, Tibetans, and Uyghurs), represented by the colored stripes of the original Five-Colored Flag of the Republic. The following is a list of ethnic groups in China where "China" is taken to mean areas controlled by either of the two states using "China" in their formal Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. The Manchu people ( Manchu: Manju;, Mongolian: Манж Russian: Маньчжуры are a Tungusic people who originated in The Tibetan people are indigenous to Tibet and surrounding areas stretching from Central Asia in the North and West to Myanmar and China Proper The Uyghur (also spelled Uygur, Uighur, Uigur, Uyghur: ئۇيغۇر) are a Turkic people of Central Asia. The National Flag of the Republic of China ( is a well-known symbol of the Republic of China (ROC The Five Races Under One Union principle and the five-colored flag were abandoned in 1927.

The Three Principles were not realized. Republican China was riven by warlordism, foreign invasion, and civil war. There were elected legislators, but Republican China was largely a one-party dictatorship,^[30] with some minor parties, such as the Chinese Youth Party,^[31] the National Socialist Party, and the Rural Reconstruction Party. The Young China Party (YCP also known as the Chinese Youth Party, (Traditional Chinese 中國青年黨 is a minor political party in the Republic of China. ^[32] Within the KMT, there was suppression of dissent by the Communists. The central government was weak and unable to implement land reform or wealth redistribution. Politics of this era consisted primarily of political and military struggle between the KMT and the CPC between periods of military resistance against Japanese invasion.

1949–2005

The constitution of the Republic of China was drafted before the fall of Mainland China to the Communists. It was created for the purpose of forming a coalition government between the Nationalists and the Communists for ruling all of China, including Taiwan. However, the CPC boycotted the National Assembly, and the Taiwanese representatives were not elected. The constitution went into effect December 25, 1947. Events 274 - Roman Emperor Aurelian Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Taiwan remained under martial law from 1948 until 1987 and much of the constitution was not in effect. Political reforms beginning in the late 1970s and continuing through the early 1990s liberalized the ROC from an authoritarian one-party state into a multiparty democracy. Since the lifting of martial law, the Republic of China has democratized and reformed, removing legacy components that were originally meant for the governing of mainland China. Many legacy components that remain are nonfunctional. This process of amendment continues. In 2000, the KMT's monopoly on power ended after the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won the ROC presidency. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP ( Taiwanese: Bîn-chú-chìn-pō͘-tóng Traditional Chinese: zh-Hant 民主進步黨 Simplified Chinese: zh-Hans The President of the Republic of China ( is the Head of state of the Republic of China (ROC (commonly known as Taiwan since the 1970s In May 2005, a new National Assembly was elected to reduce the number of parliamentary seats and implement several constitutional reforms. These reforms have been passed; the National Assembly has essentially voted to abolish itself and transfer the power of constitutional reform to the popular ballot. ^[33]

Present

Major camps

The political scene in the ROC is divided into two camps, with the pro-unification and center-right KMT, People First Party (PFP), and New Party forming the Pan-Blue Coalition, and the pro-independence and center-left Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and centrist Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) forming the Pan-Green Coalition. The People First Party (親民黨 Pinyin: Qīnmíndǎng is a Centre-right conservative Political party in the Republic of China The New Party (新黨 Xīn Dăng formerly the Chinese New Party (CNP 中華新黨 Zhōnghúa Xīn Dăng is a Centre-right Political party The Pan-Blue Coalition ( or Pan-Blue Force ( is a Political alliance in the Republic of China (Taiwan consisting of the Kuomintang The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP ( Taiwanese: Bîn-chú-chìn-pō͘-tóng Traditional Chinese: zh-Hant 民主進步黨 Simplified Chinese: zh-Hans The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU ( Traditional Chinese: 臺灣團結聯盟 Pinyin: Táiwān Tuánjié Liánméng is a Political party in the Republic The Pan-Green Coalition ( or Pan-Green Camp, is currently an informal Political alliance in the Republic of China (Taiwan consisting of the

Separate identity resolution

On September 30, 2007, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party approved a resolution asserting separate identity from China and called for the enactment of a new constitution for a "normal country". Events 1399 - Henry IV is proclaimed King of England. 1744 - France and Spain defeat the Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP ( Taiwanese: Bîn-chú-chìn-pō͘-tóng Traditional Chinese: zh-Hant 民主進步黨 Simplified Chinese: zh-Hans This article concerns the legal meaning of the term resolution. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National A constitution is a system for government often Codified as a written document that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity It called also for general use of "Taiwan" as the island's name, without abolishing its formal name, the Republic of China. ^[34]

The Pan-Green camp tends to favor emphasizing the Republic of China as being a distinct country from the People's Republic of China. In Political geography and International politics, a country is a Political division of a geographical entity Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Many Pan-Green supporters seek formally declaring Taiwan independence and to drop the title of the Republic of China. Many members of the coalition, such as current President Chen Shui-bian, have moderated their views and explain that it is unnecessary to proclaim independence because "Taiwan is already an independent, sovereign country" and the Republic of China is the same as Taiwan. A small minority claim that the ROC is nonexistent and call for the establishment of an independent Republic of Taiwan. The Republic of Taiwan ( Pe̍h-oē-jī: Tâi-oân Kiōng-hô-kok) is a goal of supporters of Taiwan independence in creating a Taiwanese state unambiguously Supporters of this idea have issued self-made "passports" for their Republic of Taiwan. The Republic of Taiwan ( Pe̍h-oē-jī: Tâi-oân Kiōng-hô-kok) is a goal of supporters of Taiwan independence in creating a Taiwanese state unambiguously Attempts to use these "passports" however have been currently stopped by officials at the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (; Tongyong Pinyin: Táiwan Táoyuán Gúojì Jichǎng Hanyu pinyin: Táiwān Táoyuán Gúojì Jīchǎng formerly

Some Pan-Blue members, especially former leaders from the older generation, support the concept of the Republic of China, which remains an important symbol of their links with China. During his visit to mainland China in April 2005, former KMT Party Chairman Lien Chan reiterated his party's belief in the "One China" policy, which states that there is only one China controlled by two governments and that Taiwan is a part of China. The 2005 Pan-Blue visits to mainland China, also known as the Third United Front of China (第三次國共合作 were a series of groundbreaking visits by delegations Lien Chan ( POJ: Liân Chùn (born August 27, 1936, in Xi'an China) is a Politician in Taiwan. The One-China policy ( is a principle that there is one China and that Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are all part of PFP Party Chair James Soong expressed the same sentiments during his visit in May. The People First Party (親民黨 Pinyin: Qīnmíndǎng is a Centre-right conservative Political party in the Republic of China James Chu-yu Soong ( born March 16, 1942) is a Politician in the Republic of China on Taiwan. The more mainstream Pan-Blue position is to lift investment restrictions and pursue negotiations with the PRC to immediately open direct transportation links. Regarding independence, the mainstream Pan-Blue position is to maintain the status quo, while being open to negotiations for unification. Status quo is a Latin term meaning the present existing state of affairs or "the state in which" There is also a specific Chinese reunification of 1928. Chinese reunification ( is a goal of Chinese nationalism that refers to

Current political issues

The dominant political issue in the ROC is its relationship with the PRC. Some people in the ROC desire the opening of direct transportation links with the People's Republic of China (PRC), including direct flights. This would aid many ROC businesses that have opened factories or branches in the PRC. The current DPP administration fears that such links will lead to tighter economic and political integration with the PRC, and in the 2006 Lunar New Year Speech, President Chen Shui-bian called for managed opening of links.

Other major political issues include the passage of an arms procurement bill that the United States authorized in 2001, and the establishment of a National Communications Commission to take over from the Government Information Office, whose advertising budget exercised great control over ROC media.

The politicians and their parties have themselves become major political issues. Corruption among some DPP administration officials has been exposed. The KMT was once the richest political party in the world^[35] and KMT assets continue to be an issue. In early 2006, President Chen Shui-bian was linked to possible corruption. The political effect on President Chen Shui-bian was great, causing a divide in the DPP leadership and supporters alike. It eventually led to the creation of a Pan-Red camp led by Ex-DPP leader Shih Ming-teh which believe the President should resign than stay in disgrace; forming a 3 side standoff. Shih Ming-te or Shih Ming-teh ( aka Nori born January 15, 1941 in Kaohsiung) was a Political prisoner for 25-and-a-half years Nearing the end of 2006, KMT's chairman Ma Ying-jeou was also hit by a corruption scandal, although he has since then been cleared of any wrong-doings by the courts. NOTICE*************** ^[36]

The merger of the KMT and PFP was thought to be certain, but a string of defections from the PFP to the KMT have increased tensions within the Pan-Blue camp. There has been talk from both camps of amending the constitution to finally resolve whether the Republic of China should have a presidential system or a parliamentary system.

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of the Republic of China

1911–49

The foreign policy of Republican China was complicated by a lack of internal unity; competing centers of power all claimed legitimacy. Foreign Policy is a bimonthly American Magazine founded in 1970 by Samuel P There was also foreign interference and invasion. Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Russia, and other major powers all made claims to various parts of China during this time. During the early years of the Republic, almost all foreign powers recognized the "warlord" government controlled by Yuan Shi-kai in Beijing as the legitimate government of China. In return for recognition, the Republic had to give up control of Outer Mongolia and Tibet. China would remain suzerain, but Russia would be allowed to influence Mongolia while the British would be allowed in Tibet. It was also this government that sent representatives to sign the Treaty of Versailles over protests by students in the May Fourth Movement. The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I. The May Fourth Movement ( was an anti- imperialist, cultural and political movement in early modern China.

After the defeat of the Beiyang Government in Beijing by the Kuomintang (Nationalists) and the purging of Communists from the party, the 1928 Nanjing Nationalist Government received widespread diplomatic recognition. The Beiyang government ( or Warlord government collectively refers to a series of military regimes that ruled from Beijing from 1912 to 1928 at Zhongnanhai ( Chinese: 南京 Romanizations Nánjīng ( Pinyin) Nan-ching ( Wade-Giles This recognition lasted throughout the Chinese Civil War and World War II (though Japan established a rival puppet government during the invasion that received some recognition from the Axis Powers). Having fought on the side of the Allied Powers during World War II, the Republic of China became one of the founding members of the UN and held one of the five permanent seats on the UN Security Council.

Despite Chiang's failures as an administrator and military strategist, he is today recognized for several diplomatic successes. In the 1930s, he was able to moderate Japanese advances by negotiating aid from Nazi Germany. Immediately prior to World War II, he was able to secure aid from his former patrons, the Soviets. During World War II and immediately afterwards, he was able to obtain large amounts of support from the US, including lend-lease supplies. Huge infusions of military assistance, equipment, advice, and cash continued even after he evacuated the KMT to Taiwan. ^[26][37]

1949–present

After the KMT retreat to Taiwan, most countries, notably the countries in the Western Bloc, continued to maintain relations with the ROC. The Western Bloc during the Cold War refers to the powers allied with the United States and NATO against the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Due to diplomatic pressure, recognition gradually eroded and many countries switched recognition to the PRC in the 1970s. There are now only 23 countries that maintain official diplomatic relations with the ROC.

The PRC refuses to have diplomatic relations with any nation that recognizes the ROC, and requires all nations with which it has diplomatic relations to make a statement recognizing its claims to Taiwan. In practice most major nations maintain unofficial relations with the ROC and the statement required by the PRC is ambiguously worded. The ROC maintains unofficial relations via Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Offices or "Taipei Representative Offices" that take on most of the functions of an official embassy, such as issuing visas. A Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office ( TECRO) sometimes known as a Taipei Economic and Cultural Office ( TECO) or a Taipei Representative Similarly, most nations maintain corresponding trade and economic offices in the ROC, such as the American Institute in Taiwan, which is the de facto embassy of the United States in the ROC. A nation is a Human Cultural and Social Community. In as much as most members never meet each other yet feel a common bond it may be considered The American Institute in Taiwan ( AIT) serves as the representative office of the United States in Taiwan.

The ROC was a founding member of the United Nations and held China's seat on the Security Council until 1971, when it was expelled by General Assembly Resolution 2758 and replaced in all UN organs with the PRC. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 of 25 October 1971 recognized the representatives of the People's Republic of China (PRC as "the only Multiple attempts by the ROC to rejoin the UN have not made it past committee. (See China and the United Nations. China's seat in the United Nations and membership of the United Nations Security Council has been occupied by the People's Republic of China (PRC since October )

Besides the dispute with the PRC over the mainland, the ROC also has a controversial relationship with Mongolia. Mongolia (mɒŋˈɡoʊliə, literally Mongol country/nation,) is a Landlocked Country in East Until 1945, the ROC claimed jurisdiction over Greater Mongolia, but under Soviet pressure, it recognized Mongolian independence. Greater Mongolia, as a geographical region is the contiguous territories primarily inhabited by ethnic Mongols. Shortly thereafter, it repudiated this recognition and continued to claim jurisdiction over Mongolia until recently. Since the late 1990s, the relationship with Mongolia has become a controversial topic. Any move to renounce sovereignty over Mongolia is controversial because the PRC claims that it is a prelude to Taiwan independence. Taiwan independence ( Pe̍h-oē-jī: Tâi-oân To̍k-li̍p ūn-tōng abbreviated to 台獨 Táidú Tâi-to̍k is a

The ROC is required to use the name Chinese Taipei to participate in international events due to People's Republic of China's interpretation of the One-China policy which many international organizations choose to follow. Chinese Taipei is the designated name used by the Republic of China (ROC, commonly known as Taiwan, to participate in some International Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES The One-China policy ( is a principle that there is one China and that Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are all part of Among organizations that have this requirement are international sports federations, including the International Olympic Committee.

Military

Main article: Military of the Republic of China

1911–49

Several armies were associated with this era, including those of the various warlords, the KMT, and the CPC. The Republic of China (ROC (commonly known as Taiwan maintains a large and technologically advanced military establishment which accounted for There were two armies regarded as the "National army": the Beiyang Army of the Warlord government and later the National Revolutionary Army of the Nationalist Government. The Beiyang Army ( meaning "North Western Army" was a powerful Western-style Chinese military force created by the Qing Dynasty government The National Revolutionary Army ( NRA) ( sometimes shortened to 國軍 or National Army) was the National Army

The founding of the Republic was made possible by mutiny within the Qing New Army. The New Armies ( Traditional Chinese: 新軍 Simplified Chinese: 新军 Pinyin: Xīnjūn Manchu: Ice cooha) were the modernized When Yuan Shikai took over as president, he was already commander of the Beiyang Army, which controlled North China. Yuan Shikai ( Courtesy Weiting 慰亭 Pseudonym: Rong'an 容庵 ( September 16, 1859 &ndash June 6, However, with Yuan's death in 1916, numerous factions within the Beiyang Army broke loose, and the leading generals of the Beiyang Army became warlords, ruling huge fiefdoms in the following decade. Regulars in these warlord armies often did not wear uniforms and the distinction between bandit and soldier was blurred.

With the help of the Comintern, Sun Yat-sen established the National Revolutionary Army in 1925 in Guangdong with a goal of reunifying China under the Kuomintang. The Comintern ( Com munist Intern ational also known as the Third International) was an international Communist organisation founded in Moscow Sun Yat-sen ( November 12, 1866 &ndash March 12, 1925) was a Chinese Revolutionary and political leader often Guangdong ( EFEO: Kouangtong; Pinyin Guǎngdōng; Postal map spelling: Kwangtung) is a province on the To this end, it initially fought against the warlords who had fractured China, successfully unifying China, and later against the Communist Red Army. The People's Liberation Army ( PLA) ( is the unified Military organization of all land sea and air forces of the People's Republic of China. A minor Sino-Soviet conflict in 1929 was fought over the administration of the Manchurian Chinese Eastern Railway. There was also the Sino-Soviet border conflict of 1969 The Sino-Soviet conflict of 1929 (1929年中苏冲突 was a minor armed The National Revolutionary Army also fought against Japanese invasion during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1931 and 1937–45), which became a part of the larger World War II. The Second Sino-Japanese War ( July 7, 1937 to September 9, 1945) was a major war fought between the Republic of China and the World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Leadership of the military during this time empowered political leadership. Following the principles of Leninism the distinctions among party, state, and army were blurred. Leninism refers to various related political and economic theories elaborated by Bolshevik revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin.

When the People's Liberation Army won the Chinese Civil War, much of the National Revolutionary Army retreated to Taiwan along with the government. The People's Liberation Army ( PLA) ( is the unified Military organization of all land sea and air forces of the People's Republic of China. It was later reformed into the Republic of China Army. The Republic of China Army (中華民國陸軍 Pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínguó Lùjūn is the largest branches of the Armed forces of the Republic of Units which surrendered and remained in China were either disbanded or incorporated into the PLA.

Present

Main articles: Republic of China Army, Republic of China Air Force, and Republic of China Navy

Today, the Republic of China maintains a large and technologically advanced military, mainly as defense against the constant threat of invasion by the PRC under the Anti-Secession Law of the People's Republic of China. The Anti-Secession Law ( is a Law of the People's Republic of China. ^[11] From 1949 to the 1970s the military's primary mission was to "retake the mainland. " As this mission has shifted to defense, the ROC military has begun to shift emphasis from the traditionally dominant army to the air force and navy. Republic of China Air Force Personnel53000 The Republic of China Navy (中華民國海軍 Pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínguó Hǎijūn is the maritime branch of the Armed forces of the Republic of China (Taiwan. Control of the armed forces has also passed into the hands of the civilian government. As the ROC military shares historical roots with the KMT, the older generation of high ranking officers tends to have Pan-Blue sympathies. ^[38] However, many have retired and there are many more non-Mainlanders enlisting in the armed forces in the younger generations, so the political leanings of the military have moved closer to the public norm in Taiwan.

The ROC's armed forces number approximately 300,000, with nominal reserves totaling 3,870,000. The ROC began a force reduction program to scale down its military from a level of 430,000 in the 1990s which drew to a close in 2005. Conscription remains universal for qualified males reaching age eighteen, but as a part of the reduction effort many are given the opportunity to fulfill their draft requirement through alternative service and are redirected to government agencies or defense related industries. Current plans call for a transition to a predominantly professional army over the next decade. Conscription periods will decrease by two months each year, with a final result of three months.

The armed forces' primary concern at this time is the possibility of an attack by the PRC, consisting of a naval blockade, airborne assault and/or missile bombardment. Four upgraded Kidd class destroyers were recently purchased from the United States, significantly upgrading Taiwan's air defense and submarine hunting abilities. Kee Lung class destroyer In 2001 the US authorized their reactivation and sale to Taiwan. ^[39] The Ministry of National Defense planned to purchase diesel-powered submarines and Patriot anti-missile batteries from the United States, but its budget has been stalled repeatedly by the opposition-Pan-Blue Coalition controlled legislature. The Pan-Blue Coalition ( or Pan-Blue Force ( is a Political alliance in the Republic of China (Taiwan consisting of the Kuomintang The defense package has been stalled since 2001 and there is now debate about the relevance of the submarines and whether different hardware should be purchased. A significant amount of military hardware has been bought from the United States, and continues to be legally guaranteed today by the Taiwan Relations Act. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Taiwan Relations Act is an act of the United States Congress passed in 1979 after the establishment of relations with the People's Republic of ^[12] In the past, the ROC has also purchased military weapons and hardware from France and the Netherlands. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands

The first line of defense against invasion by the PRC is the ROC's own armed forces. Current ROC military doctrine is to hold out against an invasion or blockade until the U. S. military responds. A defense pact between the U. S. and Japan signed in 2005 implies that Japan would be involved in any response. ^[38] Other U. S. allies, such as Australia, could theoretically be involved but this is unlikely in practice. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. ^[40] It is also worth noting that there is no guarantee in the Taiwan Relations Act or any other treaty that the United States will attack the PRC, even in the event of invasion. ^[41]

Economy

1912–49

During the first half of the twentieth century the economy of the Republic of China was essentially capitalist, with much foreign interference. Progress was impeded by constant war and internal and external strife.

The weak national government made some attempts to promote economic activity, such as by establishing the Industrial Bank of China. There was little government control of the economy however, other than causing runaway inflation by overprinting money to finance wars against the Japanese and the Communists. Foreign debts also made the national government susceptible to foreign influence. The Nationalists, like Yuan Shi-kai before them, were propped up through massive economic loans by the United States.

China at the time was largely agrarian, with most of the land, and thus the wealth, concentrated in a wide pyramid structure. Much of the land was owned by a few very wealthy landowners; the general population were tenant farmers who did not own land. The founders of both the Republic of China and the Communist Party had aimed to overturn this inequality. The Henan famine (1943–44) aided the collapse of the Republican government. Labor unions had been crushed in the purge of the Communists from the Kuomintang, leading to more inequality. Many of the wealthiest landowners and business leaders were also ministers and officials of the state and were often corrupt, preventing effective measures from being implemented.

Taiwan Miracle

Main article: Taiwan Miracle

Taiwan's quick industrialization and rapid growth during the latter half of the twentieth century, has been called the "Taiwan Miracle" (台灣奇蹟) or "Taiwan Economic Miracle". Taiwan's quick industrialization and rapid growth during the latter half of the twentieth century has been called the " Taiwan Miracle " (台灣奇蹟 or 臺灣奇蹟 Taiwan's quick industrialization and rapid growth during the latter half of the twentieth century has been called the " Taiwan Miracle " (台灣奇蹟 or 臺灣奇蹟 As it has developed alongside Singapore, South Korea and Hong Kong, the ROC is one of the industrialized developed countries known as the "Four Asian Tigers". Singapore South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders is a process of social and economic change whereby a human group is transformed from a Pre-industrial society into an industrial one The term developed country, or advanced country, is used to categorize countries with developed Economies in which the tertiary and quaternary sectors The term Four Asian Tigers or East Asian Tigers refers to the Economies of South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore

Japanese rule prior to and during World War II brought forth changes in the public and private sectors of the economy, most notably in the area of public works, which enabled rapid communications and facilitated transport throughout much of the island. The Japanese also improved public education and made the system compulsory for all ROC citizens during this time.

When the KMT government fled to Taiwan it brought the entire gold reserve and the foreign currency reserve of mainland China to the island which stabilized prices and reduced hyperinflation. More importantly, as part of its retreat to Taiwan, KMT brought with them the intellectual and business elites from the mainland. ^[42] This unprecedented influx of monetary and human capital laid the foundation for Taiwan's later dramatic economic development. The KMT government instituted many laws and land reforms that it had never effectively enacted on mainland China. The government also implemented a policy of import-substitution, attempting to produce imported goods domestically. Import Substitution Industrialization (also called ISI) is a Trade and economic Policy based on the premise that a Country should Much of this was made possible through US economic aid, subsidizing the higher cost of domestic production. Native Taiwanese were largely excluded from the mainlander-dominated government.

In 1962, Taiwan had a per capita gross national product (GNP) of $170, placing the island's economy squarely between Zaire and Congo. By 2005 Taiwan's per capita GNP, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP), had soared to $29,000 (2006 est. ), contributing to a Human Development Index equivalent to that of other developed countries. The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP

According to economist Paul Krugman, the rapid growth was made possible by increases in capital and labor, but not an increase in efficiency. Paul Robin Krugman ( born February 28 1953 is an American Economist, Columnist, Author, and Intellectual. In other words, the savings rate increased, and work hours were both lengthened and many more people, such as women, entered the work force. ^[43]

Dwight Perkins and others cite certain methodological flaws in Krugman's (and Alwyn Young's) research, and suggest that much of Taiwan's growth can be attributed to increases in productivity. These productivity boosts were achieved through land reform, structural change (urbanization and industrialization), and an economic policy of export promotion rather than import substitution.

Present

Main article: Economy of Taiwan

Today the Republic of China has a dynamic capitalist, export-driven economy with gradually decreasing state involvement in investment and foreign trade. Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by the Republic of China (ROC government which In keeping with this trend, some large government-owned banks and industrial firms are being privatized. Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of business from the Public sector (government to the Private sector (business Real growth in GDP has averaged about eight percent during the past three decades. Exports have provided the primary impetus for industrialization. The trade surplus is substantial, and foreign reserves are the world's third largest. [2] The Republic of China's current GDP (PPP) per capita is equal to the average of EU Countries. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in

The Republic of China has its own currency, the New Taiwan dollar. The New Taiwan dollar ( ( Currency code TWD and common abbreviation NT$) or simply Taiwan dollar, is the official Currency of the

Agriculture constitutes only two percent of the GDP, down from 35 percent in 1952. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture Traditional labor-intensive industries are steadily being moved offshore and with more capital and technology-intensive industries replacing them. The ROC has become a major foreign investor in the PRC, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam. The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially It is estimated that some 50,000 Taiwanese businesses and 1,000,000 businesspeople and their dependents are established in the PRC. ^[44]

Because of its conservative financial approach and its entrepreneurial strengths, the ROC suffered little compared with many of its neighbors from the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis. The Asian Financial Crisis was a period of Financial crisis that gripped much of Asia beginning in July 1997 and raised fears of a worldwide economic meltdown ( Unlike its neighbors South Korea and Japan, the Taiwanese economy is dominated by small and medium sized businesses, rather than the large business groups. The global economic downturn, however, combined with poor policy coordination by the new administration and increasing bad debts in the banking system, pushed Taiwan into recession in 2001, the first whole year of negative growth since 1947. A recession is a contraction phase of the Business cycle. The U Due to the relocation of many manufacturing and labor intensive industries to the PRC, unemployment also reached a level not seen since the 1970s oil crisis. Unemployment occurs when a person is available to work and currently seeking work but the person is without work. This became a major issue in the 2004 presidential election. The Election for the 11th-term President and Vice-President of the Republic of China (第十一任中華民國總統、副總統選舉 the third direct presidential election in Taiwan's Growth averaged more than 4% in the 2002-2006 period and the unemployment rate fell below 4%.

The ROC often joins international organizations under a politically neutral name. The ROC is a member of governmental trade organizations such as the World Trade Organization under the name Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu since 2002. Chinese Taipei is the designated name used by the Republic of China (ROC, commonly known as Taiwan, to participate in some International

Education

Main article: Education in Taiwan

The Republic of China has a twenty-two year comprehensive educational system influenced by the Japanese educational system. The educational system in Taiwan is the responsibility of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of China (commonly known as "Taiwan" In successive international tests of Mathematics, Japanese children consistently rank at or near the top (see TIMSS) The system has been successful in that pupils in the ROC boast some of the highest test scores in the world, especially in mathematics and science;^[45] however, it has also been criticized for placing excessive pressure on students and eschewing creativity in favor of rote memorization. Mathematics is the body of Knowledge and Academic discipline that studies such concepts as Quantity, Structure, Space and Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding

The literacy rate is 96. 1%. ^[46]

Demographics

Main articles: Demographics of Taiwan and Religion in Taiwan

The population of areas under control of the Republic of China was estimated in July 2006 at 23,036,087^[47] spread across a total land area of 35,980 square kilometres (13,890 sq mi) making it the twelfth most densely populated country in the world with a population density of 640/km² (1,658/sq mi). Taiwan's population was estimated in July 2007 at 22858872 spread across a total land area of 35980 km² making it the fifteenth most densely populated country in the world A wide diversity of Religions can be found on Taiwan, due to its multicultural history and religious freedom written in the Constitution of the List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² 98% of Taiwan's population is made up of Han Chinese while 2% are Austronesian aborigines. Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. Taiwanese aborigines ( Taiwanese Pe̍h-oē-jī: gôan-chū-bîn literally “original inhabitants” is the term commonly applied in reference to the Indigenous peoples

Taiwan religiosity
religion			percent
Buddhism			35. 1%
Taoism			33%
Irreligion			14%
Christianity			3. 9%
Ikuantao			3. 5%

There are approximately over 18,718,600 religious followers in Taiwan as of 2005 (81. 3% of total population) and over 14-18% are non-religious. According to the newest census as of 2005 of the ROC government recognizes 26 religions, the five largest religious organizations in Taiwan are: Buddhism (8,086,000 or 35. 1%), Taoism (7,600,000 or 33%), I-Kuan Tao (810,000 or 3. I-Kuan Tao, also Yi Guan Dao, or usually initialized as IKT (一貫道 translated as the "The pervasive Truth" is a New religious movement that 5%), Protestantism (605,000 or 2. 6%), Catholicism (298,000 or 1. 3%) and smaller religions. But according to the CIA World Factbook and other latest sources from U. S. Department of States or the Religious Affairs Section of the MOI, over 80% to 93% of the population were influenced by the mixture of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and Ancestor worship. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B ^{[48][49][50][51]}

Taiwan is undergoing a decline in birth rates with a population growth of just 0. 61% for the year 2006. The official national language is Mandarin Chinese though the majority also speak Taiwanese (deriving from the Min Nan speech of Fujian province) and Hakka. A national language is a Language (or language variant, ie Dialect) which has some connection - de facto or de jure - with Standard Mandarin, also known as Standard Spoken Chinese, is the official modern Chinese spoken language used in mainland China and Taiwan The Southern Min language or Min Nan ( POJ: Bân-lâm-gú or "Southern Fujian" language refers to a family of Chinese languages Dialects This article is about the People's Republic of China province Aboriginal languages are becoming extinct as the aborigines have become sinicized and the ROC government has not preserved the Formosan languages. Sinicization, Sinicisation or Sinification, (in Mandarin: 中国化 Zhōngguóhuà) is the linguistic assimilation or

Public health

Health care in the ROC is managed by the Bureau of National Health Insurance (BNHI). Health care is the prevention treatment and management of illness and the preservation of mental health through the services offered by the medical, Nursing ^[52]

The current program was implemented in 1995 and is considered a social insurance. The government health insurance program maintains compulsory insurance for employed, impoverished, un-employed citizens and persons of natural disasters with fees that correlate to the individual and/or family income; it also maintains protection for non-citizens working in Taiwan. The 2001 premium for the district population was US$18. 88 per person per month. ^[53] A standardized method of calculation applies to all persons and can optionally be paid by an employer or by individual contributions.

BNHI insurance coverage requires co-payment at the time of service for most services unless it is a preventative health service, for low-income families, veterans, children under three years old, or in the case of catastrophic diseases. Low income households maintain 100% premium coverage by the BNHI and co-pays are reduced for disabled or certain elderly peoples.

According to a recently published survey, out of 3,360 patients surveyed at a randomly chosen hospital, 75. 1% of the patients said they are "very satisfied" with the hospital service; 20. 5% said they are "okay" with the service. Only 4. 4% of the patients said they are either "not satisfied" or "very not satisfied" with the service or care provided. ^[54]

Taiwan has its own Center for Disease Control, and during the SARS outbreak occurring in March of 2003 confirmed 347 cases. During the outbreak the CDC and local governments set up monitored stations throughout public transportation, recreational sites and other public areas. With full containment in July of 2003, there has not been a case of SARS reported since. ^[55]

BNHI Facility Contract Distribution facilities total 17,259, including:^[56]

Number	Subject
16,174	outpatient-only facilities
5,701	dental clinics
2,422	Chinese medicine clinics
1,085	inpatient/outpatient facilities
437	local community hospitals
35	Chinese medicine hospitals
23	academic medical centers

Basic coverage areas of the insurance include:

Inpatient care Ambulatory care Laboratory tests Prescription and over-the-counter drugs Dental services

Mental Illness Traditional Chinese medicine Home care Preventative services*

* child check-ups, prenatal care, pap smears, adult check-ups

In 2004 the infant mortality rate was 5. 3 with 15 physicians and 63 hospital beds per 10,000 people. The life expectancy for males was 73. 5 years and 79. 7 years for females according the World Health Report. Since the inception of the BNHI in 1995 the aggregate life expectancy increase is 1. 6 years for males and 2 years for females, possibly a key indicator for success in the BNHI program considering the relatively stable life expectancy rate prior to the initiative. ^[57]

Other health related programs in Taiwan are the Center for Disease Control and the Department of Health.

Calendar

Main article: Minguo calendar

Following the imperial tradition of using the sovereign's era name and year of reign, official ROC documents use the Republic (Chinese: 民國; pinyin: míngúo; literally "The Country of the People") system of numbering years in which the first year (民國元年) was 1912, the year of the founding of the Republic of China. The Republic of China calendar (民國紀元 is the method of numbering years currently used in the Republic of China ( Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen A Chinese era name ( is the Era name, reign period or regnal title used when traditionally numbering years in an emperor's reign and naming certain Chinese Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use For example, 2007 is the "96th year of the Republic" (民國九十六年, 民國96年, or simply 96). As Chinese era names are traditionally two characters long, 民國 (Republic) is employed as an abbreviation of 中華民國 (Republic of China).

Months and days are numbered according to the Gregorian calendar. The Gregorian calendar is the most widely used Calendar in the world today Based on Chinese National Standard CNS 7648: Data Elements and Interchange Formats — Information Interchange — Representation of Dates and Times, (similar to ISO 8601), year numbering may use the A. This article is about the National standards of the Republic of China based in Taiwan. ISO 8601 is an International standard for date and Time representations issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO D. system as well as the ROC era. For example, May 3, 2004 may be written 2004-05-03 or R. O. C. 93-05-03.

The ROC era numbering happens to be the same as the numbering used by North Korea because its founder, Kim Il-sung, was born in 1912. North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, Kim Il-sung ( 15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was the leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from its founding in early The years in Japan's Taishō period (July 30, 1912 to December 25, 1926) are also coincident with the ROC era. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The, or Taishō era, is a period in the History of Japan dating from July 30, 1912 to December 25, 1926, coinciding with the reign

The use of the ROC era system extends beyond official documents. When used to mark expiration dates on products for export, they can be misunderstood as having an expiration date 11 years earlier than intended. Misinterpretation is more likely in the cases when the prefix (R. O. C. or 民國) is omitted.

Traditional Chinese holidays such as the Chinese New Year, the Lantern Festival, and the Dragon Boat Festival are celebrated regularly. Chinese New Year is the most important of the Traditional Chinese holidays. The Lantern Festival a Chinese festival celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month in the Lunar year in the Chinese calendar.

See also: Chinese calendar, Holidays in Taiwan, and Public holidays in the Republic of China

International rankings

Context	Organization	Rank	Year	Source
GDP (PPP)	International Monetary Fund / CIA	19/179 (IMF) 18/227 (CIA)	2007	IMF CIA
GDP (PPP) per capita	International Monetary Fund / CIA	28/179 (IMF) 40/227 (CIA)	2007	IMF CIA
Worldwide press freedom index	Reporters Without Borders	32/169	2007	[3]
Freedom of the Press	Freedom House	20/194	2007	[4]
Index of Economic Freedom	The Wall Street Journal and the Heritage Foundation	26/162	2007	[5]
Economic Freedom of the World	Fraser Institute	24/130	2004	[6]
Ease of Doing Business Index	World Bank	50/178	2008	[7]
Global Competitiveness Report	World Economic Forum	13/125	2006–2007	[8]
Business Competitiveness Index	World Economic Forum	21/121	2006	[9]
Worldwide quality-of-life index	The Economist	21/111	2005	[10]
Global e-Government Study	Brown University	2/198	2006	[11]
Richard Lynn and Tatu Vanhanen IQ and Global Inequality	Dr. The Chinese calendar is lunisolar, incorporating elements of a Lunar calendar with those of a Solar calendar. List of Holidays and festivals observed in Republic of China ( Taiwan) Public Holidays in the Republic of China ( Taiwan): See also Holidays in Taiwan Public holidays There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation The International Monetary Fund ( IMF) is an International organization that oversees the Global financial system by following the Macroeconomic near as long as it used to be several months ago It has been actively summarized and split into sub-articles and there is a dynamic talk page discussion of all This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The International Monetary Fund ( IMF) is an International organization that oversees the Global financial system by following the Macroeconomic near as long as it used to be several months ago It has been actively summarized and split into sub-articles and there is a dynamic talk page discussion of all Freedom House is a United States -based international Non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on Democracy, political The Index of Economic Freedom is a series of 10 economic measurements created by the Wall Street Journal and The Heritage Foundation to measure the degree of Economic freedom The Heritage Foundation is an American conservative Think tank. See also Index of Economic Freedom The annual survey Economic Freedom of the World is an indicator which attempts to measure the degree of Economic The Fraser Institute is Conservative and Libertarian Think tank based in Canada that espouses Free market principles The Ease of Doing Business Index is an index created by the World Bank. The World Bank is an internationally supported Bank that provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries for development programs (e The Global Competitiveness Report is a yearly report published by the World Economic Forum. The World Economic Forum (WEF is a Geneva -based Non-profit foundation best known for its Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland The World Economic Forum (WEF is a Geneva -based Non-profit foundation best known for its Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland The Economist is an English-language weekly news and International affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd and edited in London Brown University is a highly esteemed private University located in Providence, Rhode Island and is a member of the Ivy League. IQ and the Wealth of Nations is a Controversial 2002 book by Dr Richard Lynn, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Ulster	5/185	2006	[12]
World Competitiveness Yearbook	International Institute for Management Development	13/55	2008	[13]
Network Readiness Index	World Economic Forum	17/127	2007–2008	[14]
Corruption Perceptions Index	Transparency International	34/180	2007	[15]
Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index	World Economic Forum	30/124	2007	[16]
IT industry competitiveness index	Economist Intelligence Unit	6/64	2007	[17]
E-readiness rankings	Economist Intelligence Unit	19/70	2008	[18]
Environmental Performance Index	Yale University	40/149	2008	[19]
Bertelsmann Transformation Index (Status)	Bertelsmann Foundation	4/125	2008	[20]
Bertelsmann Transformation Index (Managem.)	Bertelsmann Foundation	7/125	2008	[21]

See also

• Communications in Taiwan
• Human rights in the Republic of China
• Taiwan after World War II
• Political status of Taiwan
• Taiwan independence

Notes and references

Other references

Further reading

• Bush, R. & O'Hanlon, M. (2007). A War Like No Other: The Truth About China's Challenge to America. Wiley. ISBN 0471986771
• Bush, R. (2006). Untying the Knot: Making Peace in the Taiwan Strait. Brookings Institution Press. ISBN 0815712901
• Carpenter, T. (2006). America's Coming War with China: A Collision Course over Taiwan. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 1403968411
• Cole, B. (2006). Taiwan's Security: History and Prospects. Routledge. ISBN 0415365813
• Copper, J. (2006). Playing with Fire: The Looming War with China over Taiwan. Praeger Security International General Interest. ISBN 0275988880
• Federation of American Scientists et al. (2006). Chinese Nuclear Forces and U.S. Nuclear War Planning
• Gill, B. (2007). Rising Star: China's New Security Diplomacy. Brookings Institution Press. ISBN 0815731469
• Shirk, S. (2007). China: Fragile Superpower: How China's Internal Politics Could Derail Its Peaceful Rise. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195306090
• Tsang, S. (2006). If China Attacks Taiwan: Military Strategy, Politics and Economics. Routledge. ISBN 0415407850
• Tucker, N. B. (2005). Dangerous Strait: the U. S. -Taiwan-China Crisis. Columbia University Press. ISBN 0231135645

External links

• Wikimedia Atlas of Republic of China

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