Portal:Taiwan
Portal Taiwan (Republic of China)
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Taiwan (Chinese: 臺灣 or 台灣; pinyin: Táiwān), officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a state in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China now governs the island of Taiwan (known in the past as Formosa), which forms over 99% of its current territory), as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu, and other minor islands. Neighboring states include the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east and northeast, and the Philippines to the south. Taipei is the capital city and economic and cultural centre of the country, and New Taipei is the largest city by population.
The earliest evidence of Taiwan being inhabited is from the late Paleolithic era. The island of Taiwan was mainly inhabited by Taiwanese aborigines before being colonized in the 17th century by the Dutch as Dutch Formosa in 1624 and the Spanish as Spanish Formosa in 1626. The Spanish were expelled from the island in 1644 by the Dutch. The first Han Chinese polity on Taiwan began when Koxinga's troops defeated Dutch forces and established the Kingdom of Tungning. The island was subsequently ruled by the Qing Dynasty after the kingdom's defeat in the Battle of Penghu in 1683, a period that lasted for over 200 years. Following Japan's victory over the Qing Dynasty in the first Sino-Japanese war, Taiwan was ceded to Japan under the Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895.
The Republic of China was established in mainland China in 1912 and governed varying amounts of the mainland until 1949. At the end of World War II, Japan surrendered Taiwan and associated islands to ROC forces. When Communist forces took control of mainland China and founded the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949, the ROC government moved to Taiwan. The ROC government still officially claims to represent all of China, in a definition including Taiwan, but has not made retaking the mainland a political goal since 1992.
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Shin Kong Life Tower (Chinese: 新光人壽保險摩天大樓) is the third tallest building in Taiwan at 51 stories. The rose-coloured skyscraper topped by a pyramid is a landmark in Taipei. Its first twelve floors and two underground floors house a Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Department Store. The remaining floors provide office space and serve as headquarters for the Shin Kong Life Insurance Company. The structure stands across Chunghsiao Road from Taipei Main Station near the Asiaworld Department Store.
The Shin Kong Life Tower was Taiwan's tallest building when it opened in December 1993. In 1997 the building was surpassed as Taiwan's tallest by the Tuntex Sky Tower in the city of Kaohsiung. Both were surpassed in height by Taipei 101 in 2004.
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The Taiwan High Speed 700T train is the Shinkansen rolling stock built for the Taiwan High Speed Rail.
Photo credit: User:Graham2000
Did you know...
- ... that the Democratic Progressive Party nominated Hsu Tain-tsair (pictured) as the party's candidate for the 2001 Tainan mayoral race instead of George Chang, then-incumbent mayor of Tainan?
- ... that the National Taiwan Museum is the oldest museum in Taiwan and was established during the Japanese rule era?
- ... that the Sakizaya people, a Taiwanese aboriginal tribe, has been recognized by the government of Taiwan since January 2007?
- ... that the Cheng Kung Senior High School, previously known as the Taihoku Prefecture Second Middle School, is renamed after Koxinga?
- ... that Tsungming Tu, founder of the Kaohsiung Medical College, was the first Taiwanese medical doctor?
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News
- January 23: Philippines seeks United Nations arbitration on South China Sea claims
- November 21: Philippines to host four-country meeting about South China Sea disputes
- September 1: China leads medal race after day two of competition at London Paralympics
- June 23: One Australian male and female archer qualify for Olympics after Ogden event
- February 22: Golf: Tseng successfully defends her title in Thailand
- December 10: Leaked cables cause Australian concern
- October 23: Typhoon Megi kills seven in Taiwan, heads towards southern China
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