Taiwan

Republic of China 中華民國 Jhōnghuá Mínguó
Flag National Emblem
Motto: None
Anthem: "National Anthem of the Republic of China"
Capital	Taipei City (de facto) Nanjing (de jure)1
Largest city	Taipei City
Official languages	Mandarin (Guóyǔ)
Government	Semi-presidential system
• President	Chen Shui-bian
• Vice President	Annette Lu
• Premier	Su Tseng-chang
Establishment  Xinhai Revolution
• Declared	October 10, 1911
• Established	January 1, 1912
• Relocation to Taipei	December 7, 1949
• Water (%)	2.8
Population
• July 2006 estimate	23,036,087 (47th 2)
GDP (PPP)	2005 estimate
• Total	$631.2 billion (16th)
• Per capita	$27,572 (24th)
HDI (2003)	0.910 very high (25th if ranked 3)
Currency	New Taiwan Dollar (NT$) (TWD)
Time zone	UTC+8 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	None
Calling code	886
ISO 3166 code	TW
Internet TLD	.tw
1.) Under the KMT administration, Nanjing appeared in government-sponsored maps and publications as the official capital while Taipei was labelled at the provisional capital. The current DPP administration has dropped such references. 2.) Rank based on 2005 figures. 3.) Due to its political status, the UN has not calculated an HDI for it. However, the ROC government calculated its HDI for 2003 to be 0.910; if included among UN HDI figures, the ROC would rank 25th (high) – behind Greece and ahead of Singapore. [2]

The Republic of China (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) is a state in East Asia. Once the unchallenged authority in all of China, it has lost control of mainland China and since the temporary cessation of the Chinese Civil War in 1950, has only administered the island groups of Taiwan, the Pescadores, Kinmen, and Matsu. Since the late 1990s, the Republic of China has been commonly referred to as "Taiwan", and since the late 1970s the name "China" has been increasingly used to refer to the People's Republic of China on mainland China. For political reasons, the Republic of China is sometimes referred to as "Chinese Taipei" in international organizations.

The ROC was established in 1912, replacing the last Chinese dynasty, the Qing Dynasty, and ending over 2,000 years of imperial rule in China. It is thus the oldest surviving republic in East Asia. The rule of the Republic of China in Mainland China was scarred by warlordism, Japanese invasion, and civil war. The civil war temporarily ceased in 1949 with Communist Party of China (CPC) in control of most of Mainland China, with the national government of the Republic of China in control of Taiwan and several offshore islands (Kinmen, Penghu, Matsu). The CPC proclaimed a new state, the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Beijing in 1949. The Republic of China on Taiwan continued to state that it was the sole and legitimate government of all of China. This was a claim recognized by most nations, up until the late 1970s. Taipei City was made the provisional capital of the ROC.

Since 1928, the Republic of China had been ruled by the Kuomintang (KMT) as an authoritarian dictatorship. In the 1950s and 1960s, the KMT took steps to reform the economy by reducing corruption and reforming land policies which coincided with a period of great economic growth despite the constant threat of war and civil unrest. The political scene changed in the 1980s and 1990s as the Republic of China government on Taiwan actively pursued a transition to a democratic system, beginning with the first direct presidential election in 1996 and culminating in the 2000 election of President Chen Shui-bian, the first non-KMT president elected.

Political status

The political status of Taiwan remains a contentious issue. The PRC has since claimed that ROC has become obsolete, that the PRC has succeeded the entire sovereignty of ROC over all China, and that the ROC government in Taiwan is illegitimate. But the KMT-ruled government of the Republic of China continued to proclaim itself as the sole legitimate government of China, including Outer Mongolia and other foreign-held territories.

Although the ROC government under 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 currently displays mainland China, Taiwan, Mongolia, northern Burma, and Tuva as part of the Republic of China. In 1945, the ROC as representative of China was one of the founding states of the United Nations; however, in 1971, its delegates to UN were replaced by those from the PRC. Because the PRC claims sovereignty over Taiwan and maintains its "One China Policy", and most states switched their recognition from the ROC to the PRC since the 1970s, the ROC is now officially recognized by only 25 countries, most of them in the Pacific, Latin America and Caribbean. The ROC maintains unofficial relations and ties with most nations, which are de facto diplomatic relations, only not in name.

History

Main article: History of Republic of China

Revolution: growth and failure, 1911-1927

Yuan Shikai (left) and Sun Yat-sen (right) with two different flags representing the early Republic.

After over 2000 years of imperial rule, China overthrew its dynastic system in favor of a republic. The Qing Dynasty was weak, China having just experienced a century of instability, suffering from both internal rebellion and foreign domination. The Neo-Confucian principles that had previously sustained the dynastic system were now called into question with a loss of cultural self-confidence that resulted in about 40 million Chinese consumers of opium by 1900. By the time of its defeat by an expeditionary force of all major powers in 1900 during the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion, the Manchu dynasty was already in its last throes, with only the lack of an alternative regime in sight prolonging its existence until 1912.

The establishment of Republican China directly developed out of the Wuchang Uprising against the Qing Dynasty on October 10, 1911. The Republic of China government was declared on January 1, 1912, with Sun Yat-sen as first elected provisional president. As part of the agreement to have the last emperor Puyi abdicate, Yuan Shikai was officially elected president in 1913. However, Yuan dissolved the ruling KMT, ignored the provisional Constitution in asserting presidential power, and ultimately declared himself emperor of China in 1915.

In response, 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. Sun reestablished the KMT in October 1919.

The central power in Beijing struggled more and more to hold on to power. The "May Fourth Movement" brought much change with it, and challenged the powers of different regional areas. A lively debate evolved about the way China needed to deal with the confrontation with the West, first very open and wide ranging. After the Treaty of Versailles on the May 4th, a student protest led to a nationwide uprising and gave the movement its name.

Chinese anarchism, specifically anarchist communism, had been the one of the most prominent forms of revolutionary socialism even before the Wuchang Uprising. Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, the influence of Marxism spread and became more popular. Two famous protagonists of the movement (Li Dazhao and Chen Duxiu) were leading people in the Marxist-Leninist Communist movement in the beginning, which led to the founding of the Communist Party of China in July 1921.

Nationalist China, 1927-1949

Chiang Kai-shek, who assumed the leadership of the Kuomintang (KMT) after the 1925 death of Sun Yat-sen, and led the Republic of China from 1928 to 1975.

After Sun's untimely death in March 1925, Chiang Kai-shek became the effective leader of the KMT having, with the help of the Soviet Union, led the successful Northern Expedition, which defeated the warlords and united China nominally under the KMT. Soviet advisors had provided training in advance propaganda, popular agitation, and Russian arms. However, Chiang soon dismissed his Soviet advisors, and purged communists and leftists from the KMT, catalyzing the Chinese Civil War; in one bloody turn in 1927, Communist-led labor unions who had taken control of Shanghai awaited orders from Chiang only to be massacred by the arrival of Nationalists. The Communists were thus pushed into the interior as Chiang Kai-shek sought to destroy them, and Chiang consolidated rule, establishing a Nationalist Government in Nanjing in 1928. Efforts were subsequently begun to establish a modern civil society, creating the research institute Academia Sinica, the Bank of China, and many other agencies.

However, any stability was promptly interrupted by the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931, with hostilities continuing through the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945), during which they made massive territorial gains. With Japan's surrender in 1945, China emerged victorious and the Republic of China became one of the founding members of the United Nations.

The civil war between the Communists and the Nationalists resumed and intensified after the Japanese surrender in 1945, and despite the numerical superiority and American aid until 1947, the Nationalists succumbed after a series of military tactical mistakes and spiraling inflation to the Communists in 1949.

The Republic of China on Taiwan, 1945-present

Main article: History of the Republic of China § Republic of China on Taiwan, 1945/1949-Present

After the defeat of Japan during World War II, Taiwan was surrendered to the Allies and occupied by the ROC government on behalf of the Allied Powers. It was governed under a corrupt military administration leading to widespread island unrest and increasing tensions between Taiwanese and mainlanders. 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, due to armed rebellion occurring, in what is now called the 228 Incident. Mainstream estimates say anywhere from 10,000 to 30,000 people died, mainly Taiwanese elites. However, in recent ROC government amends to these victims only about 700 victims come forward. This might imply that estimates of the number of victims have been exaggerated. The military administration declared martial law in 1948.

In this tumultuous climate, after the defeat of the KMT in 1949, Chiang Kai-shek evacuated the government of the Republic of China to Taiwan and declared Taipei the provisional capital of China. Accompanying his retreat were some 2 million refugees from mainland China, adding to the earlier population of approximately 6 million.

Because of the fear of the spread of Communism during the Cold War, the Republic of China on Taiwan was at first seen by the Western world, meaning mainly the United States and its allies, as "Free China" and a bastion against Communism, while in contrast the People's Republic of China was seen as "Red China" or "Communist China". The Republic of China was recognized as the sole legitimate government of both Mainland China and Taiwan by the United Nations and many Western nations until the 1970s, but as it became clear that the Communist government was stable and would not be dislodged as the de facto government of China any time soon, recognition by most major powers switched from the ROC to the PRC.

Taiwan remained under martial law, under the name of the "Temporary Provisions Effective During the Period of Communist Rebellion" (動員戡亂時期臨時條款) and one-party rule for four decades from 1948 until 1987, when Presidents Chiang Ching-kuo and Lee Teng-hui gradually liberalized and democratized the system. In 2000, Chen Shui-bian of the more pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was elected president, becoming the first non-KMT constitutional president of the Republic of China. In the 2004 presidential elections, after being shot while campaigning just one day before, Chen was reelected by a narrow margin of just 0.2%. In both Chen's terms the DPP and the Taiwanese independence leaning Pan-Green Coalition failed to secure a majority of seats in the legislature, losing to the KMT and the pro-eventual unification leaning Pan-Blue Coalition. Because the president in the ROC system does not have the power of veto, this has led to many impasses as the legislature does not see it necessary to negotiate with the executive branch.

See also: History of Taiwan and Timeline of Republic of China history

Politics

Republican China, 1911-1949

The Presidential Building in Taipei. This Presidential Building has housed the Office of the President of the Republic of China since 1950. It is located in the Zhongzheng District of Taipei. It formerly housed the Office of the Governor-General of Taiwan, during the period of Japanese rule.

The original founding of the Republic centered on the Three Principles of the People (san min zhuyi): nationalism, democracy, and people's livelihood. Nationalism meant standing up to Japanese and European interference, democracy meant elected rule modeled after Japan's parliament, and people's livelihood or socialism, meant government regulation of the means of production. Another lesser known principle that the Republic was founded upon was five races under one union" (五族共和), which emphasized the harmony of the five major ethnic groups in China as represented by the colored stripes of the original Five-Colored Flag of the Republic. However, this five races under one union principle and the corresponding flag were abandoned in 1927.

In reality these three principles were left unrealized. Republican China was marked by warlordism, foreign invasion, and civil war. Although there were elected legislators, from its inception, it was actually a largely one-party dictatorship apart from some minor parties , including the Chinese Youth Party , the National Socialist Party and the Rural Construction Party , with suppression of dissent within the KMT of the Communists. As the central government was quite weak, little could be done in terms of land reform or redistribution of wealth either. Politics of this era consisted primarily of the political and military struggle between the KMT and the CPC in between bouts of active military resistance against Japanese invasion.

Political structure

The first national government of the Chinese Republic was established on January 1, 1912, in Nanjing, with Sun Yat-sen as the provisional president. 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 limited acts passed by this government included the formal abdication of the Qing dynasty and some economic initiatives.

Shortly after the rise of Yuan, 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 to the KMT were offered 1,000 pounds. 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 that submitted to them, on May 25, 1915.

With the death of Yuan, 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. Still, the powerless government had its use--when World War I began, several Western powers and Japan wanted China to declare war on Germany, in order to liquidate the latter's holdings there.

From the beginning to the end of Republican China, political power was generally exercised through both legal and non-legal means. Yuan ruled as a dictator, remolding the constitution as he saw fit; warlords withdrew from the Republic, ruling through military control; and Chiang based his political power on military power. During this time, Chiang ruled more as a dictator than as a leader of a one-party state. He used white terror tactics and various military campaigns to destroy the CPC, and the police and military apparatus were freely used to attack dissenters. However, Chiang's influence never extended beyond the Yangtze Delta, and the rest of the country was under the effective control of former warlords, and Chiang faced insurrections from them throughout the 1930s, even after the Northern Expedition, which had nominally unified the country. Regional political power remained strong throughout Republican China, and central authority deteriorated continuously until the Second Sino-Japanese War, to the point that Chiang became no more than the "head of a loose coalition," as observed by Albert Wedemeyer.

Republic of China on Taiwan, 1949-present

Main article: Politics of the Republic of China

The constitution of the Republic of China was drafted before the fall of mainland China to the Communists and was created for the purpose of forming a coalition government between the Nationalists and the Communists for rule of all of China, including Taiwan. However, the CPC boycotted the National Assembly, and it is also worth noting, that the Taiwanese representatives were not elected. Further, it was clear that Chiang Kai-shek would retain most of his power as an authoritarian leader. The constitution went into effect December 25, 1947.

Because Taiwan remained under martial law from 1948 until 1987, much of the constitution was not in effect. Since the lifting of martial law, the Republic of China has undergone a drastic process of democratisation and reform, removing legacy components that were originally meant for the governing of mainland China. Many legacy components that still remain are nonfunctional. This process of amendment continues today as the government continues to reform itself. In May of 2005, a new national assembly was elected to reduce the number of parliamentary seats and implement several constitutional reforms. These reforms have since been passed, with the national assembly essentially voting to abolish itself and transferring the power of constitutional reform to the popular ballot.

Political status and the major camps

One key issue has been the political status of Taiwan itself. With the diplomatic isolation brought about in the 1970s and 1980s, the notion of "recovering the mainland" by force has been dropped and the Taiwanese localization movement strengthened. The relationship with the People's Republic of China and the related issues of Taiwan independence and Chinese reunification continue to dominate Taiwanese politics.

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.

Supporters of the Pan-Green camp tend to favor emphasizing Taiwan as being distinct from China. Many Pan-Green supporters seek formal Taiwanese independence and for dropping the title of the Republic of China. However, more progressive members of the coalition, such as current President Chen Shui-bian, have moderated their views and claim that it is unnecessary to proclaim independence because Taiwan is already "an independent, sovereign country" and that the Republic of China is the same as Taiwan. Some members take a much more extreme view about Taiwan's status, claiming that the ROC is nonexistent and calling for the establishment of an independent Republic of Taiwan. Supporters of this idea have even gone as far as issuing self-made "passports" for their republic. Attempts to use these "passports" however, have been stopped by officials at Chiang Kai-shek International Airport.

While the Pan-Green camp favors Taiwan having an identity separate from that of China, some Pan-Blue members, especially former leaders from the older generation, seem to be strongly supportive of 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 that states that there is only one China controlled by two governments and that Taiwan is a part of China. PFP Party Chair James Soong expressed the same sentiments during his visit in May. In contrast to the positions of these two leaders of the older generation, the more mainstream Pan-Blue position is to pursue negotiations with the PRC to immediately open direct transportation links with China and to lift investment restrictions. With regards to independence, the mainstream Pan-Blue position is to simply maintain the ROCs current state, and being open to negotiations for unification.

For its part, the PRC has indicated that it finds a Republic of China far more acceptable than an independent Taiwan. Ironically, although it views the ROC as an illegitimate entity, it has stated that any effort on Taiwan to formally abolish the ROC or formally renounce its claim over the Mainland would result in a strong and possibly military reaction. However, the defense of Taiwan by the US and Japan is likely, so it is not, in reality, clear what the PRC reaction would be. The US's current position is that the Taiwan issue must be resolved peacefully and that it condemns unilateral action by either side, an unprovoked invasion by China or a declaration of formal independence by Taiwan.

National political structure

A police car in Taiwan

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. The president has authority over the five administrative branches (Yuan): the Executive Yuan, Legislative Yuan, Control Yuan, Judicial Yuan, and Examination Yuan. 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.

The main legislative body is the unicameral Legislative Yuan with 225 seats, of which 168 are elected by popular vote. Of the remainder, 41 are elected on the basis of the proportion of nationwide votes received by participating political parties, eight are elected from overseas Chinese constituencies on the same principle, as are the eight seats for the aboriginal populations; 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.

The Judicial Yuan is Taiwan's highest judicial body. 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 15 justices, which form the Council of Grand Justices, 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. In 1993 a separate constitution court was established to resolve constitutional disputes, regulate the activities of political parties and accelerate the democratization process. There is no trial by jury but the right to a fair public trial is protected by law and respected in practice; many cases will be presided over by multiple judges.

Taiwan'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 to 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. Another curiosity of the Taiwanese system is due to historical reasons; because Taiwan was previously dominated by strong-man 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 (Chiang Kai-shek and later his son, Chiang Ching-kuo, and now Chen Shuibian). This legacy has resulted in executive powers being currently concentrated in the office of President rather than the Premier.

The term ruling party was previously applied to the KMT, 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 Soviets, who ironically had trained both Chiang/KMT as well as the Communists, left a lasting mark on the practices of the KMT, and under a Leninist style one party state, there was little difference between the ROC government, the KMT, and the army. Today, however, the term "ruling party" has a specific, peculiar use in Taiwan and is used to describe the party holding the Presidency, though this is not entirely accurate since the KMT is now only one of the two major parties, and since Taiwan does not have a parliamentary system, where the executive branch would be occupied by the same party or coalition that held a majority in the legislature. This term is currently used as 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

Current political issues

File:Taiwan.jpg

A highway section in Taiwan

The dominant political issue today in the Taiwan Area in the Republic of China (ROC) is its relationship with the Government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) that governs Mainland China. Specifically, many people in Taiwan desire the opening of direct transportation links with the Mainland, including direct flights, which would aid many Taiwanese businesses that have opened factories or branches in the Mainland. The current DPP administration fears that such links will lead to tighter economic and thus 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 back in 2001 for Taiwan's purchase, and the recent establishment of a National Communications Commission, which will take over much of the work of the former Government Information Office that had previously exercised a great deal of control over Taiwanese media through its advertising budget.

Banking reform, including consumer finance (limiting rates on credit cards) and bank mergers, is also a major issue. Taiwan's financial sector is quite unwieldy, with over 48 banks, none of which have a market share over 10%. In addition, the government controls 50% to 60% of Taiwan's banking assets. The ultimate aim is the creation of large financial institutions that will then have the ability to compete internationally.

The politicians and their parties themselves have become major political issues, with the recent exposure of corruption among some DPP administration officials, and KMT assets (the KMT formerly being the richest political party in the world) perennially also an issue. Recently, the merger of the KMT-PFP is 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 on Taiwan is to be a presidential system or a parliamentary system.

Political divisions

Main article: Political divisions of the Republic of China

File:Map taiwan.jpg

Current jurisdiction of the Republic of China

According to the 1947 Constitution, written before the imminent fall of the KMT-Republic of China government to the Communists and with the intention of applying it to all of China, the highest level administrative division is the province (the provincial level also includes special administrative regions, regions, centrally administered municipalities). However, since 1998, the only provincial governments to remain fully functional under ROC jurisdiction—Taiwan Province—has been effectively streamlined with responsibility assumed by the central government and the county-level governments (the other existing provincial government, Fuchien, was streamlined much earlier). The ROC currently administers two provinces and two provincial level cities:

• Taiwan Province (all): the Taiwanese main island, except the two municipalities, plus Penghu county (Pescadores Islands)
  • Sixteen counties
  • Five provincially administrated cities
• Fuchien Province (part): several islands off the Chinese mainland:
  • Kinmen County: Kinmen, Lesser Kinmen and Wuchiu
  • part of Lienchiang County, namely Matsu, Dongyin, Siyin and Jyuguang
• Two Central Municipalities
  • Taipei City
  • Kaohsiung City

The Republic of China also controls the Dong-Sha Islands and Taiping Island, which are part of the disputed South China Sea Islands. They have been placed under Kaohsiung City after the retreat to Taiwan.

Taichung is currently under consideration for elevation to central municipality status. Also, Taipei County and Kaohsiung County are considering mergers with their respective cities.

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Maps of the official borders of the Republic of China include mainland China, Mongolia, Tannu Uriankhai, parts of the Central Asian former Soviet republics, and northern Burma

Although the ROC has not constitutionally renounced sovereignty over Mainland China and Outer Mongolia, President Lee Teng-hui stated in 1991 that his government does not dispute the fact that the Communist Party rules Mainland China. The DPP government under Chen Shui-bian has even made moves to ignore such claims, including removing Outer Mongolia from the ROC's official maps and the establishment of a representative office in Mongolia's capital, Ulan Bator, and offices established to create the appearance of domestic governance of those regions, such as the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission, lie dormant .

Nevertheless, ROC official boundaries continue to show 35 provinces, 14 municipalities, 1 special administrative region, and 2 regions, instead of the 23 provinces, 4 municipalities, and 5 autonomous regions shown on maps from the PRC, which reflect the PRC's actual political divisions. At 11,418,212 km² it would be the second largest nation in the world. However, the ruling DPP government has dropped regulations that require Taiwanese map makers to depict the official boundaries.

See also: History of the political divisions of China § Republic of China

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of the Republic of China

Republic of China, 1911-1949

The foreign relations of Republic of China were complicated by a lack of internal unity with competing centers of power that all claimed legitimacy as well as foreign interference and invasion. Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Russia, and other major powers all at one point or another 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 in 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 Treaty of Versailles (over protests by students in the May Fourth Movement). With the conclusion of World War I, China became one of five permanent members in the now disbanded League of Nations.

After the defeat of the Beiyang government in Beijing by the Kuomintang (Nationalists) and the purging of Communists from the party, the Nationalist Government established in Nanjing in 1928 received widespread diplomatic recognition. 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). 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 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 advance 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, and huge infusions of military assistance, equipment, advice, and cash aid even continued after he evacuated the KMT to Taiwan.

Republic of China on Taiwan, 1949-present

After the KMT retreat to Taiwan, most countries, notably the countries in the Western bloc, continued to maintain relations with the ROC government. Recognition gradually eroded and many countries switched recognition to the PRC in the 1970s. Today, the Republic of China on Taiwan continues to be officially recognized by 25 nations, mostly small countries in Central America and Africa but also including the Holy See of the Catholic Church. The People's Republic of China has a policy of not having diplomatic relations with any nation which recognizes the Republic of China and insists that all nations with which it has diplomatic relations make a statement which recognizes its claims to Taiwan. In practice, however, most major nations maintain unofficial diplomatic relations with Taiwan and the statement which is required by the PRC is couched in extremely carefully worded ambiguity. In some major nations who do not recognize it, the ROC has representative offices called the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office or the "Taipei Representative Office" for short, that take on most of the functions of an official embassy, such as issuing visas. Likewise, many nations maintain counterpart 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.

The Republic of China 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 government of the People's Republic of China. Multiple attempts by the Republic of China to re-join the UN have not made it past committee. (See China and the United Nations)

Besides the dispute with the PRC over the mainland, the ROC also has a controversial relationship with Mongolia. Until 1945, the ROC claimed jurisdiction over Greater Mongolia, but under Soviet pressure, it recognized Mongolian independence. 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.

The ROC is required to use the name Chinese Taipei in many circumstances, due to the One-China Policy. Among organizations that have this requirement are international sports federations, including the International Olympic Committee.

Military

Main article: Military of the Republic of China

Militaries of Republican China, 1911-1949

File:NRA Germandivs inspection.jpg

National Revolutionary Army troops standing at attention during an inspection by German instructors during Second Sino-Japanese War

As power was fractured, several armies were associated with this era, including those of the various warlords, the KMT, and the CPC. There were two armies to be regarded the "national army": the Beiyang Army of the Warlord government and later the National Revolutionary Army of the Nationalist Government.

The founding of the Republic was made possible by mutiny within the Qing New Army. When Yuan Shikai took over as president, he was already commander of the Beiyang Army, which controlled North China. 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, operating 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. To this end, it initially fought against the warlords that had fractured China, successfully unifying China, and later against the Communist Red Army. A minor Sino-Soviet conflict in 1929 was fought over the administration Manchurian Chinese Eastern Railway. It also fought against Japanese invasion during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1931/1937-1945), which became a part of the larger World War II. Leadership of the military during this time empowered political leadership. Following the lines of Leninism and the Three Principles of the People, the distinction among party, state, and army were blurred.

With the defeat by the Communist People's Liberation Army in the Chinese Civil War, much of the National Revolutionary Army retreated to Taiwan along with the government. It was later reformed into the Republic of China Army. Units which surrendered and remained in China were either disbanded or incorporated into the PLA.

The CPC formed both a regular army and paramilitary forces, or Red Guards, in regions that it controlled. Because the movement had its base in the masses, mainly the peasant class, it was able to militarize and gain support from a much larger base beyond the official numbers of their army. Red Guards were expected to perform police duties, spy on the enemy, scout, as well as fighting along regular forces.

Military of the Republic of China on Taiwan

ROC Navy Cheng Kung-class frigates

Today, the Republic of China on Taiwan maintains a large military establishment, mainly as defense against the constant threat of invasion by the People's Republic of China, which is seen as the predominant threat and which has not renounced the use of force against the ROC. From its retreat from mainland China in 1949 until the 1970s, the military's primary mission had been to "retake the mainland." Given its current mission of defense against invasion, the ROC military has begun to shift emphasis from the traditionally dominant army to the air force and navy. 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 tend to lean towards Pan-Blue politically. However, with their retirement and the raise in the number of non-Mainlanders enlisting in the armed forces with younger generations, the political leanings of the military has moved closer towards the public norm in Taiwan.

The ROC's armed forces number approximately 300,000, with nominal reserves totaling 3,870,000. The ROC begun its implementation of a force reduction program to scale down its military from a level of 430,000 in the 1990s, and is drawing to a close by 2005. Conscription remains universal for qualified males reaching age 18, 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, with conscription decreasing by two months each year, with the final result being conscription will be limited to a period of 3 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. The Ministry of National Defense planned to purchase diesel-powered submarines and Patriot anti-missile batteries from the United States to counter the recent threat, but its budget has been stalled repeatedly by the opposition-Pan-Blue Coalition controlled legislature as of 2005. The defense package, stalled since 2001, has been stalled to the point that 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. In the past, the ROC has also purchased hardware from France and the Netherlands.

The immediate defense against invasion by the PRC is, of course, the ROC's own armed forces. Current ROC military doctrine involves holding out against an invasion or blockade for as long as it would take until the U.S. military could respond. A defense pact between the U.S. and Japan signed in 2005 also implies that Japan would be involved in any response to a PRC invasion. In the event of an invasion, other U.S. allies, especially Australia, would theoretically, but in practice unlikely, be drawn into another war.

Economy

Economy of Republican China, 1912-1949

Main article: Economy of China

Ximen Station, one of the stations of the Taipei Rapid Transit System.

During the first half of the 20th century the economy of the Republic of China was essentially capitalist, with much foreign interference. Progress was impeded by constant war, internal and external strife.

With the fall of the emperor and the end of political isolation also came the end of economic isolation. The weak national government did make some attempts to promote economic activity, such as establishing the Industrial Bank of China. Overall, however, debts to Western powers and a weak national government led to little government control of the economy other than being the prime source of the rampant inflation. Due to political instability and the overprinting of money by the government to finance the wars against the Japanese and against the Communists, this period also suffered runaway inflation. 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, to help them carry out their war.

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 with the general population tenant farmers who did not own land. This situation of severe inequality is exactly the one that both the original revolutionists that had formed Republic of China and the Communist party had aimed to overturn. The Henan famine (1943-1944), among general inequality, was one major event that helped aid in the collapse of the Republican government. Labor unions had also been crushed in the purge of the Communists from the Kuomintang, leading to even more inequality. To make matters worse, many of the wealthiest landowners and business leaders were also ministers and officials of the state who were often corrupt, preventing effective measures being taken to address this inbalance.

Meanwhile, in areas controlled by Communists, the CPC implemented Soviet-style agrarian reform. This was accomplished at the village level with land confiscated and redistributed equitably, according to the manpower of each family. Landowners were executed or given no share at all and rents were abolished. Taxes were reformed as well--they were capped at 15-20% of the harvest. In some areas, however, especially those with more wealthy families, land reform was incompletely implemented or not at all, as it was considered too radical.

Economy of Taiwan, 1945-present

Main article: Economy of Taiwan

Taipei 101 is a 101-floor skyscraper located in Taipei City. Originally named Taipei Financial Center, it is the world's tallest building in three categories.

The Republic of China on Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist, export-driven economy with gradually decreasing state involvement in investment and foreign trade. In keeping with this trend, some large government-owned banks and industrial firms are being privatized. 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.

After the KMT government retreated to Taiwan, the government implemented a policy of import-substitution, that is, a policy of attempting to produce imported goods domestically. Much of this was made possible through US economic aid, subsidizing the higher cost of domestic production. Because Taiwanese were largely excluded from the mainlander dominated government, many went into the business world to find success.

Today, agriculture constitutes only two percent of the GDP, down from 35 percent in 1952. Traditional labor-intensive industries are steadily being moved offshore and replaced with more capital- and technology-intensive industries. Taiwan has become a major investor in Mainland China, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam; although there are no direct transportation links between China and Taiwan, it is estimated at least some 50,000 Taiwanese businesses and 1,000,000 businesspeople and their dependents are established in Mainland China.

Because of its conservative financial approach and its entrepreneurial strengths, Taiwan suffered little compared with many of its neighbors from the Asian financial crisis in 1998–1999. 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. Due to the relocation of many manufacturing and labor intensive industries to mainland China, unemployment also reached a level not seen since the 1970s oil crisis. This became a major issue in the 2004 presidential election. Growth averaged more than 4% in the 2002-2006 period and the unemployment rate fell below 4%.

Because the PRC objects to having other countries maintain diplomatic or official relations with the ROC, the ROC often joins international organizations under a different name. The Republic of China 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 (台灣、澎湖、金門及馬祖個別關稅領域) and APEC under the name Chinese Taipei.

See also: East Asian Tigers

Culture

Culture of Republic of China, 1912-1949

Main article: Culture of China

The culture that led to the founding of the Republic of China and that flourished immediately afterwards was informed by two main concerns: the weakness of the Chinese government in the face of pressure by Western powers, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, France, and Japan, and the seeming backwardness of the Chinese political system, which previously had held primacy over the East Asia region. It was this climate that led to the rapid changes and quick questioning of thousand year old traditions.

The abolition of the empire had an immediate effect on dress and customs: the largely Han Chinese population immediately cut off the queues that they had been forced to grow in submission to the overthrown Manchus whom they considered alien barbarian invaders. Sun Yat-sen popularised a new style of men's wear, featuring jacket and trousers instead of the pre-existing robes. Adapted from Japanese student wear, this style of dress became known as the Zhongshan suit (Zhongshan being Sun Yat-sen's given name in Chinese). (Later, Mao Zedong's variant of the Zhongshan suit would become well known in the West as the Mao suit.) Meanwhile, Madame Sun popularised the qipao as the standard female dress. At the same time, old practices such as footbinding, which Chinese had long known was viewed as backwards and unmodern by Westerners, were forbidden.

In the late 1910s and early 1920s, students and intellectuals began to challenge old customs in what became the New Cultural Movement. The era called for iconoclasm, the assertion of individuality, and the liberalization of society (such as through the abolition of arranged marriages). Universities began to incorporate western subjects into the curriculum and discussion of numerous philosophies such as communism and anarchism ensued. Notably, Lu Xun published his satire Diary of a Madman to challenge Confucianism, Ba Jin questioned the hierarchical family structure, and Hu Shih called for writing in Vernacular Chinese instead of Literary Chinese for mass appeal. The literary journal New Youth, edited by Chen Duxiu, promoted science and democracy. These changes, though affecting urban and upper class society, failed to reach the peasantry who remained mostly illiterate. Economic equality and gender equality became great concerns among intellectuals, students, and the general public. With the movement of people towards cities also came concern for such issues. Many young intellectuals became interested in communism and liberalism.

In the 1930s, Chiang Kai-shek launched the New Life Movement to promote traditional Confucian social ethics, while rejecting individualism and Western capitalistic values. It also aimed to build up morale in a nation that was besieged with corruption, factionalism, and opium addiction. Some goals included courtesy to neighbors, following rules set by the government, keeping streets clean, and conserving energy. The concurrent National Goods Movement asked citizens to buy Chinese-manufactured products.

See also: List of Chinese people and Chinese cuisine

Culture of Taiwan

Main article: Culture of Taiwan

The National Concert Hall in Taipei City.

File:National Palace Museum view.jpg

National Palace Museum , one of the noted museums in Asia, in Taipei City

A distinctive "running green man" featured in pedestrian traffic signals; Taipei City

After the retreat to Taiwan, the Nationalists took steps to preserve traditional Chinese culture and suppress the local Taiwanese culture. The government launched a program promoting Chinese calligraphy, traditional Chinese painting, folk art, and Chinese opera. One of Taiwan's greatest attractions is the National Palace Museum, which houses more than 650,000 pieces of Chinese bronze, jade, calligraphy, painting and porcelain. The KMT moved this collection from the Forbidden City in Beijing in 1949 when it fled to Taiwan. The collection, estimated to be one-tenth of China's cultural treasures, is so extensive that only 1 percent is on display at any time.

Since Taiwan localization movement of the 1990s, Taiwan's cultural identity has been allowed greater expression. Taiwan's mainstream culture is primarily derived from traditional Chinese culture, with significant influences also from Japanese and American cultures, especially in the areas of politics and architecture. Fine arts, folk traditions, and popular culture embody traditional and modern Asian and Western motifs.

About 80 percent of the people in Taiwan belong to the Holo subethnic group and speak Taiwanese as the primary language. Mandarin is the primary language of instruction in schools, having been mandatory since the coming of the KMT, and is spoken by almost all Taiwanese (except older generations who were educated under Japanese rule). The Hakka, about 10 percent of the population, have a distinct Hakka language. Aboriginal minority groups still speak their native languages, although most also speak Mandarin and Taiwanese. English is a common second language, with many large private schools such as Hess providing English instruction. English also features on several of Taiwan's education exams.

The status of Taiwanese culture is a subject of debate due to identity politics. Along with the political status of Taiwan, it is disputed whether Taiwanese culture is a segment of Chinese culture (due to the Han ethnicity and a shared language and traditional customs with mainland Chinese) or a distinct culture separate from Chinese culture (due to the long period of recent political separation and the past colonization of Taiwan). Speaking Taiwanese under the localization movement has become an emblem of expressing Taiwanese identity.

Karaoke is incredibly popular in Taiwan, where it is known as KTV and is an example of something the Taiwanese have drawn from contemporary Japanese culture. Taiwan has a high density of convenience stores, which in addition to the usual services, provide services on behalf of financial institutions or government agencies such as collection of the city parking fee, utility bills, traffic violation fines, and credit card payments.

Taiwanese culture also has influenced the West: Bubble tea and milk tea are popular drinks readily available around city centers in Europe and North America. Ang Lee is the famous Taiwanese movie director of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Eat Drink Man Woman, Sense and Sensibility and Brokeback Mountain, among other films.

See also: Taiwanese cuisine, Music of Taiwan, List of Taiwanese people, Education in the Republic of China, Cinema of Taiwan, and Photography of Taiwan

Calendrical system

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; lit. 'The Country of the People') system of numbering years in which the first year was 1912, the date of the founding of the Republic of China. With the retreat of the ROC to Taiwan, people in Taiwan continue this tradition. For example, 2006 is the "95th year of the Republic" (民國九十五年). 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).

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

See also

A group of railfans are taking photos of train at Han-ben Station of Taiwan Railway Administration

• Political Status of Taiwan
• Portal:Taiwan
• Chinese law
• List of China-related topics
• List of Republic of China-related topics
• Scouts of China
• List of Taiwan-related topics
• Human rights in Taiwan
• Republic of Taiwan

References & notes

Other references

1. Feuerwerker, Albert. 1968. The Chinese Economy, 1912-1949. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

External links

Government

• Government Information Office
• Taiwan e-Government
• Office of the President
• National Assembly
• Executive Yuan
• Legislative Yuan
• Judicial Yuan
• Examination Yuan
• Control Yuan
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Taipei Economic & Cultural Representative Office in the U.S.

News

• Central News Agency
• Yahoo! News - Full Coverage: Taiwan

Overviews

• BBC News - Country Profile: Taiwan
• CIA World Factbook - Taiwan
• Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports regarding Taiwan
• WorldStatesmen.org - Taiwan
• Guardian Unlimited - Special Report: Taiwan and China
• Open Directory Project - Taiwan directory category
• PBS Frontline - Dangerous Straits
• Yahoo! - Taiwan directory category

Other

• Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) of the Republic of China on Taiwan
• WUFI - World United Formosans for Independence
• Map of ROC's current jurisdiction (pdf)
• Maps (also showing counties)
• Taiwan Documents Project
• Cross-Strait Relations between China and Taiwan collection of articles.
• Olympic Watch (Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games in a Free and Democratic Country) on Taiwan security-related issues
• Feb 1999 KMT Speech

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