Taiwan
 | It has been suggested that Taiwan (island) be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since March 2012. |
Republic of China[1] | |
|---|---|
| Anthem: "National Anthem of the Republic of China" 《中華民國國歌》 "National Flag Anthem" 《中華民國國旗歌》 | |
 depicting the Free Area of the Republic of China | |
| Capital | Taipei[2][b] |
| Largest city | New Taipei |
| Official languages | Mandarin[3] |
| Recognised regional languages | Taiwanese Hokkien Hakka Chinese Formosan languages[4] |
| Official scripts | Traditional Chinese |
| Ethnic groups | 98% Han[5][6] 70% Hoklo |
| Demonym(s) | Taiwanese[9][10][11] or Chinese[12] or both |
| Government | Unitary semi-presidential republic |
| Ma Ying-jeou | |
| Vincent Siew Wu Den-yih (Elect) | |
• Premier | Sean Chen |
| Jiang Yi-huah | |
| Establishment | |
| 10 October 1911 | |
• Republic established | 1 January 1912 |
| 25 December 1947 | |
| Area | |
• Total | 36,192[13] km2 (13,974 sq mi) (136th) |
• Water (%) | 10.34 |
| Population | |
• 2012 estimate | 23,234,003 [13][c] (49th) |
• Density | 641/km2 (1,660.2/sq mi) (16th) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2011 estimate |
• Total | $886.489 billion [14] (19th) |
• Per capita | $37,931.826 [14] (20th) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2011 estimate |
• Total | $504.612 billion[14] (24th) |
• Per capita | $21,591.770[14] (37th) |
| Gini (2008) | 34.1 [15] Error: Invalid Gini value |
| HDI (2010) |  0.868*[16][17]Error: Invalid HDI value |
| Currency | New Taiwan dollar (NT$) (TWD) |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (CST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+8 (not observed) |
| Date format | yyyy-mm-dd yyyy年m月d日 (CE; CE+2697) or 民國yy年m月d日 |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | +886 |
| ISO 3166 code | TW |
| Internet TLD | .tw, .台灣, .台湾[18] |
a. ^ See also Names of China.
b. ^ Nanking (now Nanjing) was the peacetime seat of the government from 1928 until 1949, when the government retreated to Taipei. | |
| Taiwan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Traditional Chinese | 臺灣 or 台灣 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 台湾 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Republic of China | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 中華民國 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 中华民国 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Taiwan (/ˌtaɪˈwɑːn/ TY-WAHN; Chinese: 臺灣 or 台灣; pinyin: Táiwān; see below), officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia.[19] Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan (known in the past as Formosa), which forms over 99% of its current territory,[20] as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu, and other minor islands. Neighboring states include 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,[2] and New Taipei is the largest city by population.
The Republic of China, established in mainland China in 1912, governed most of mainland China prior to the outbreak of the Chinese Civil War, then received Taiwan and associated islands from the Empire of Japan due to its surrender at the end of World War II in late 1945. However, after four more years of continuous civil war, the ROC lost mainland China to Communist forces who founded the People's Republic of China (PRC) on that territory in 1949, and the ROC relocated its government to the island of Taiwan. The ROC government officially claims to represent all of China (in a definition including Taiwan) via its constitution, but, in practice, has ceased to actively pursue this stance since 1992.[21] Meanwhile, the PRC, commonly known as "China", also officially asserts to be the sole legal representation of China, and actively claims that Taiwan should be under its sovereignty, denying the status of the existing Republic of China as a sovereign state, and threatens military action should a Republic of Taiwan be declared.
The ROC is a multi-party democracy that has a presidential system and universal suffrage. It experienced rapid economic growth, industrialization, and democratization on Taiwan during the latter half of the 20th century, and is now an industrialized advanced economy. It is one of the Four Asian Tigers and a member of the WTO and APEC. The 19th-largest economy in the world,[22][23] its advanced technology industry plays a key role in the global economy. Taiwan is ranked highly in terms of freedom of the press, health care,[24] public education, economic freedom, and human development.[16][17][25]
Names
The official name of the state is "Republic of China"; it has also been known under various names throughout its existence. Shortly after the ROC's establishment in 1912, while it was still located on the Asian mainland, the government used the abbreviation "China" ("Zhongguó") to refer to itself, for instance during the Olympic Games[26] or at the United Nations. During the 1950s and 1960s, it was common to refer to it as Nationalist China to differentiate it from "Communist China" (or "Red China").[27] The ROC also called itself Free China in an attempt to portray the PRC as an illegitimate government. At the UN, it was present under the name "China" until it lost its seat to the People's Republic of China in 1971. Since then, the name "China" has been commonly used internationally to refer only to the People's Republic of China, except in countries that diplomatically recognize the Republic of China and thus refer to the ROC as "China".[28] Over subsequent decades, the Republic of China has become commonly known as "Taiwan", due to the fact that Taiwan, the island, composes most of its territory. It is also often informally referred to as the "State of Taiwan", in particular in countries where the ROC is not officially recognized.[29][30][31][32] The Republic of China participates in most international forums and organizations under the name "Chinese Taipei" due to diplomatic pressure from the PRC. For instance, it is the name under which it has competed at the Olympic Games since 1979, and its name as an observer at the World Health Organization. Additionally, the PRC refers to Taiwan as "Taiwan, China" in pursuit of its claim that it is under the sovereignty of the PRC.
History
Establishment of the ROC (in the mainland)
The Republic of China was formally established on 1 January 1912 on mainland China. After over two thousand years of imperial rule, a republic was established in China and the monarchy overthrown by a group of revolutionaries. The Qing Dynasty, having just experienced a century of instability, suffered from both internal rebellion and foreign imperialism.[33] The Neo-Confucian principles that had, to that time, sustained the dynastic system were now called into question.[34] Its support of the Boxers in a failed uprising against the world's major powers was its final mistake. The Qing forces were defeated and China was forced to give a huge indemnity to the foreign powers; an equivalent to £67 million to be paid over 39 years. Disconnected from the population and unable to face the challenges of modern China, the Qing government was in its final throes. Only the lack of an alternative regime in sight was prolonging its existence until 1912.[35][36]
The establishment of Republican China developed out of the Wuchang Uprising against the Qing on 10 October 1911. That date is now celebrated annually as the ROC's national day, also known as the "Double Ten Day". On 29 December 1911, Sun Yat-Sen was elected president by the Nanking assembly representing seventeen provinces. On 1 January 1912, he was officially inaugurated and pledged "to overthrow the despotic Manchu government, consolidate the Republic of China and plan for the welfare of the people".
Sun however lacked the military support to overthrow the Qing Dynasty. Realizing this, he handed over the presidency to Yuan Shikai, the imperial general, who then forced the last emperor Puyi to abdicate. Yuan Shikai was officially elected president in 1913.[33][37] Yuan ruled by military power and ignored the republican institutions established by his predecessor, threatening to execute Senate members that would disagree with his decisions. He soon dissolved the ruling Kuomintang party and banned "secret organizations" (which implicitly included the KMT), and ignored the provisional constitution. An attempt at a democratic election in 1911 ended up with the assassination of the elected candidate by a man recruited by Yuan. Ultimately, Yuan Shikai declared himself Emperor of China in 1915.[38] The new ruler of China tried to increase centralization by abolishing the provincial system; however this move angered the gentry along with the province governors, usually military men. Many provinces declared independence and became warlord states. Increasingly unpopular and deserted by his supporters, Yuan Shikai gave up on becoming Emperor in 1916 and died of natural causes shortly after.[39][40]
Thus devoid of a strong, unified government, China thrust into another period of warlordism. Sun Yat-sen, forced into exile, returned to Guangdong province in the south with the help of warlords in 1917 and 1922, and set up successive rival governments; he re-established the KMT in October 1919. Sun's dream was to unify China by launching an expedition to the north. He however lacked military support and funding to make it a reality.[41]
The Peiyang government in Peiping (previously known as Peking, now Beijing) struggled to hold on to power. An open and wide-ranging debate evolved regarding how China should confront the West. In 1919, a student protest against the weak response of China to the Treaty of Versailles, considered unfair by Chinese intellectuals, led to the May Fourth movement. These demonstrations were aimed at spreading Western influence to replace Chinese culture. It is also in this intellectual climate that the influence of Marxism spread and became more popular. It eventually led to the founding of the Communist Party of China in 1920.[42]
Chinese Civil War and World War II
After Sun's death in March 1925, Chiang Kai-shek became the leader of the KMT. In 1926, Chiang led the Northern Expedition through China with the intention of defeating the warlords and unifying China. Chiang received the help of the Soviet Union; however he soon dismissed his Soviet advisors. He was convinced, not without reason, that they wanted to get rid of the Nationalists and take over control.[43] Chiang decided to strike first and purged the Communists, killing thousands of them[citation needed]. At the same time, other violent conflicts were taking place in China; in the South, where the Communists were in superior numbers, Nationalist supporters were being massacred[citation needed]. These events eventually led to the Chinese Civil War. Chiang Kai-shek pushed the Communists into the interior as he sought to destroy them, and established a government with Nanking as its capital in 1927.[44] By 1928, Chiang's army overturned the Peiyang government and unified the entire nation, at least nominally.
According to Sun Yat-sen's nation building theory, the KMT was to rebuild China in three phases so as to progress towards a modern democratic society: a phase of military rule through which the KMT would take over power and reunite China by force; a phase of political tutelage; and finally a constitutional democratic phase.[45] According to this theory, China's warlordism needs to be unified by KMT military force in the first phase. After unification, the KMT would rule as a one-party dictatorship and educate the Chinese people about democracy so as to prepare the conditions for democracy. And when the conditions for democracy is ripe, the KMT would start the final phase to progress towards a constitutional democracy. By 1930s, the Nationalists, having completed the first phase of military nominal unification and taken over the power, started the second phase, and promulgated a provisional constitution for the political tutelage period and began the period of so-called "tutelage".[46] During this period, the New Life Movement was carried as part of the Chinese National Civic education to educate the Chinese people with moral civic character, to change the bad old habits of the Chinese people and prepare the Chinese people for military education. The KMT claimed that they were preparing the people for democracy. Among others, they created at that time the Academia Sinica, the Central Bank of China and other agencies. In reality, the political tutelage was very much likened to totalitarianism, as much of the KMT's policy during the 1930s was similar and influenced by Germany's Fascism, esp. in its approach towards countering communism, organizing the KMT paramilitary to exterminate the Chinese communists and to fight against the Japanese. In 1932, China sent a team for the first time to the Olympic Games. Historians, such as Edmund Fung, argue that establishing a democracy in China at that time was not possible. The nation was at war and divided between Communists and Nationalists. Corruption within the government and lack of direction also prevented any significant reform from taking place. Chiang realized the lack of real work being done within his administration and told the State Council: "Our organization becomes worse and worse... many staff members just sit at their desks and gaze into space, others read newspapers and still others sleep."[47] The Nationalist Government wrote a draft of the constitution in 5 May 1936.[48]
The Nationalists faced a new challenge with 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. The government of the Republic of China retreated from Nanking to Chungking (now Chongqing) during the War and managed to ally with Americans, the British and the Soviets against the Japanese. In 1945, after eight years of war, the allies managed to defeat Japan. The Republic of China, under the name "China", became one of the founding members of the United Nations and a permanent member of the Security Council. It also helped in the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The government returned to Nanking in 1946, held the Constitutional National Assembly (under the conditions of the Chinese communist announcing their non-attendance) and formulated the Constitution of the Republic of China. In November 1947, the Republic of China held a national assembly election. Chiang Kai Shek was elected as the first President while Li Zongren as Vice President. In 1948, due to Chinese civil war, the Republic of China government institutionalized the Temporary Provisions Effective During the Period of Communist Rebellion. The nationalist government was re-structured as a Republic of China government and the Republic of China began the phase of constitutional democracy.
After World War II
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. The government of the ROC proclaimed the "retrocession" of Taiwan to the Republic of China and established the provincial government at Taiwan. The military administration of the ROC extended over Taiwan, which led to widespread unrest and increasing tensions between Taiwanese and mainlanders.[49] The shooting of a civilian on 28 February 1947 triggered island-wide unrest, which was suppressed with military force in what is now called the 228 Incident. Mainstream estimates of casualties range from 18,000 to 30,000, mainly Taiwanese elites.[50][51] The 228 incident has had far-reaching effects on subsequent Taiwan history.
From 1945 to 1947, under United States mediation, especially through the Marshall Mission, the Nationalists and Communists agreed to start a series of peace talks aiming at establishing a coalition government. They however failed to reach an agreement and the civil war resumed.[52] In the context of political and military animosity, the National Assembly was summoned by the Nationalists without the participation of the Communists and promulgated the Constitution of the Republic of China. The constitution was criticized by the Communists,[53] and led to the final break between the two sides.[54] The full scale civil war resumed from early 1947.[55]
In 1948, the ROC administration imposed perpetual martial law.[56] Meanwhile, the civil war was escalating from regional areas to the entire nation. Eventually, the Communist troops, supported by the Soviet Union, defeated the ROC army, supported by the United States.
By 1949, a series of Chinese communist offensive in the Chinese civil war led to the defeat of the nationalist army. The ROC government retreated to Taiwan, and declared Taipei as the provisional capital. The battle of Guningtou, whereby the nationalist army defeated the communist, managed to held off the communist advance towards taking Taiwan. The ROC government however lost control over mainland China during this Chinese civil war.
In October 1949, the Communists founded the People's Republic of China.[57]
In December 1949, Chiang evacuated the government to Taiwan and made Taipei the temporary capital of the ROC (also called the "wartime capital" by Chiang Kai-shek).[58][59] In his retreat, he also transferred China's gold reserves to Taiwan. Between one and two million refugees from mainland China followed him, adding to the earlier population of approximately six million.[56][60][61]
Government on Taiwan
The ROC government, now threatened by both demands for independence within Taiwan, and by the Communists in mainland China, became increasingly dictatorial. The White Terror, started while the ROC central government was still governed from mainland China, remained in place until 1987 as a way to suppress the political opposition.[62] During these acts of violence, 140,000 Taiwan residents were imprisoned or executed for being perceived as anti-KMT or pro-Communist.[63]
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, US President Harry S. Truman intervened again and dispatched the 7th Fleet into the Taiwan Straits to prevent hostilities between Taiwan and mainland China.[64] In the Treaty of San Francisco and the Treaty of Taipei, which came into force respectively on 28 April 1952 and 5 August 1952, Japan formally renounced all right, claim and title to Taiwan and Penghu, and renounced all treaties signed with China before 1942. The United States and the United Kingdom disagreed on whether the ROC or the PRC was the legitimate government of China—as a result both treaties remained silent about who would take control of the island.[65] 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.
During the 1960s and 1970s, the ROC maintained an authoritarian, single-party government while its economy became industrialized and technology oriented. This rapid economical growth, known as the Taiwan Miracle, was the result of a fiscal regime independent from mainland China and backed up, among others, by the support of US funds and demand for Taiwanese products.[66][67] In the 1970s, Taiwan was economically the second fastest growing state in Asia after Japan.[68] Taiwan, along with Hong Kong, South Korea and Singapore, became known as one of the Four Asian Tigers. 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. Later and especially after the termination of the Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty, most nations switched diplomatic recognition to the PRC.
Up until the 1970s, the ROC was regarded by Western critics as undemocratic for upholding martial law, for severely repressing any political opposition and for controlling media. The KMT did not allow the creation of new parties and those that existed did not seriously compete with the KMT. Thus, competitive democratic elections did not exist.[69][70][71][72][73] From the late 1970s to the 1990s, however, reforms slowly moved the Republic of China from an authoritarian state to a democracy. In 1979, a pro-democracy protest known as the Kaohsiung Incident took place in Kaohsiung to celebrate Human Rights Day. Although the protest was rapidly crushed by the authorities, it is today considered as the main event that united Taiwan's opposition.[74] In 1986, Chiang Ching-kuo and Lee Teng-hui allowed for the creation of new political parties, which led to the founding of the first opposition party, the Democratic Progressive Party. In 1987, the martial law was lifted along with, a year later, the ban on new newspaper registration. The democratization process eventually led to the first direct presidential election by universal adult suffrage in 1996.[75][76]
Political status
The political status of the Republic of China is a contentious issue. The People's Republic of China (PRC) claims that the ROC government is illegitimate, referring to it as the "Taiwan Authority". The ROC, however, with its own constitution, independently elected president and a large army, continues to view itself as an independent sovereign state. Its current territory has never been controlled by the PRC.[77][78] Internationally, there is controversy on whether the ROC still exists as a state or a defunct state per international law due to the loss of membership/recognition in the United Nations and lack of wide diplomatic recognition. According to a poll taken by the TVBS in 2010, the majority of ROC residents—64%—opt for the status quo (i.e. no independence, no unification with mainland China), while 19% favor independence and 5% unification.[79]
Conflict with the PRC
The political environment is complicated by the potential for military conflict should overt actions toward independence or reunification be taken. It is the official PRC policy to use force to ensure reunification if peaceful reunification is no longer possible, as stated in its anti-secession law, and for this reason there are substantial military installations on the Fujian coast.[80][81] Although more recently the PRC has conducted to promote peaceful relation with the current ROC government and aimed at gradual reunification.
The PRC supports a version of the One-China policy, which states that Taiwan and mainland China are both part of China, and that the PRC is the only legitimate government of China. It uses this policy to prevent the international recognition of the ROC as an independent sovereign state. For its part, the People's Republic of China appears to find the retention of the name "Republic of China" more acceptable than an official declaration of an independent Taiwan. With the rise of the Taiwanese independence movement, the name "Taiwan" has been employed increasingly more often on the island.[82]
United States involvement
The United States is one of the main allies of the ROC and, since the Taiwan Relations Act passed in 1979, the United States has sold arms and provided military training to the Republic of China Armed Forces.[83] This situation continues to be an issue for the People's Republic of China which considers US involvement disruptive to the stability of the region. In January 2010, the Obama administration announced its intention to sell $6.4 billion worth of military hardware to Taiwan. As a consequence, the PRC threatened the US with economic sanctions and warned that their cooperation on international and regional issues could suffer.[84]
The official position of the United States is that 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." Both are to refrain from performing actions or espousing statements "that would unilaterally alter Taiwan's status."[85]
Foreign relations
Before 1928, the foreign policy of Republican China was complicated by a lack of internal unity—competing centers of power all claimed legitimacy. This situation changed after the defeat of the Peiyang Government by the Kuomintang, which led to widespread diplomatic recognition of the Republic of China.[86]
After the KMT retreat to Taiwan, most countries, notably the countries in the Western Bloc, continued to maintain relations with the ROC. Due to diplomatic pressure, recognition gradually eroded and many countries switched recognition to the PRC in the 1970s.
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.[87] As a result, there are only 11 states that have official diplomatic relations with the Republic of China. In practice, most countries view the ROC as an independent state and as such maintain unofficial relations with it.[88]
The ROC maintains unofficial relations with most countries via de facto embassies and consulates called Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Offices (TECRO), with branch offices called "Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices" (TECO). Both TECRO and TECO are "unofficial commercial entities" of the ROC in charge of maintaining diplomatic relations, providing consular services (i.e. visa applications), and serving the national interests of the ROC in other countries.[89]
The United States maintains unofficial relations with the ROC through the instrumentality of the American Institute in Taiwan, which is the de facto embassy of the US in the ROC.[6]
Participation in international events and organizations
The ROC was a founding member of the United Nations and held seat of China on the Security Council and other UN bodies until 1971, when it was expelled by General Assembly Resolution 2758 and replaced in all UN organs with the PRC. Each year since 1992, the ROC has petitioned the UN for entry but its applications have not made it past committee.[90]
Due to its limited international recognition, the Republic of China is a member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization, represented by a ROC government funded organization, the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD) under the name "Taiwan".[91][92]
Also due to its One China policy, the PRC only participates in international organizations where the ROC is not recognized as a sovereign country. 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.[93] However, both the US and Japan publicly support the ROC's bid for membership in the World Health Organization as an observer.[94] However, though the ROC has applied for WHO membership every year since 1997 under various denominations, their efforts have consistently been blocked by PRC.
At present, the ROC usually uses the politically neutral name "Chinese Taipei" in international events such as the Olympic Games where the PRC is also a party.[95] 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.[96] 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.
Opinions within the ROC
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.
The KMT, 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.[97] Ma Ying-jeou, 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 PRC must fulfill for reunification to occur.[98]
The DPP, the largest Pan-Green party, officially seeks independence, but in practice also supports the status quo because its members and the public would not accept the risk of provoking the PRC.[99][100]
Former President Chen Shui-bian of the Democratic Progressive Party stated during his years of administration that 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 while the KMT accepts the One-China principle, the DPP encourages the participation of Taiwan as a sovereign state.
On 2 September 2008, El Sol de México asked President Ma Ying-jeou about his views on the subject of "two Chinas" and if there was a solution for the sovereignty issues between the two. The ROC President replied that the relations are neither between two Chinas nor two states. It is a special relationship. Further, he stated that the sovereignty issues between the two cannot be resolved at present, but he quoted the "1992 Consensus", currently accepted by both sides, as a temporary measure until a solution becomes available.[101]
The relationship with the PRC and the related issues of Taiwanese independence and Chinese reunification continue to dominate ROC politics.[102] For any particular resolution, public favor shifts greatly with small changes in wording, illustrating the complexity of public opinion on the topic.[103]
Government
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The government of the Republic of China was founded on the Constitution of the ROC and its Three Principles of the People, which states that the ROC "shall be a democratic republic of the people, to be governed by the people and for the people."[104] The government is divided into five administrative branches (Yuan): the Executive Yuan (cabinet), the Legislative Yuan, the Judicial Yuan, the Control Yuan (audit agency) and the Examination Yuan. The Pan-Blue Coalition and Pan-Green Coalition are presently the dominant political blocs in the Republic of China.
President and cabinet
The head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces is the president, who is elected by popular vote for a maximum of 2 four-year terms on the same ticket as the vice-president. The president has authority over the 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.[104]
Legislature
The main legislative body is the unicameral Legislative Yuan with 113 seats. 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 four-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.[104]
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.[104] Thus, there is little incentive for the president and the legislature to negotiate on legislation if they are of opposing parties. After the election of the pan-Green's Chen Shui-bian as President in 2000, legislation repeatedly stalled because of deadlock with the Legislative Yuan, which was controlled by a pan-Blue majority.[105] Historically, the ROC has been dominated by strongman single party politics. This legacy has resulted in executive powers currently being concentrated in the office of the president rather than the premier, even though the constitution does not explicitly state the extent of the president's executive power.[106]
Judiciary
The Judicial Yuan is the ROC's highest judicial organ. 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 additional thirteen justices form the Council of Grand Justices.[107] 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. In 1993, a separate constitutional 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 are presided over by multiple judges.[104]
Like most Asian democracies, the ROC still allows for capital punishment. Efforts have been made by the government to reduce the number of executions, although they have not been able to completely abolish the punishment. As of 2006, about 80% of Taiwanese want to keep the death penalty.[108]
Audit
The Control Yuan is a watchdog agency that monitors (controls) the actions of the executive. It can be considered a standing commission for administrative inquiry and can be compared to the Court of Auditors of the European Union or the Government Accountability Office of the United States.[104] The Control Yuan is sometimes also compared to an ombudsman or national human rights institution.
Examination
The Examination Yuan is in charge of validating the qualification of civil servants. It is based on the old Imperial examination system used in premodern China. It can be compared to the European Personnel Selection Office of the European Union or the Office of Personnel Management of the United States.[104]
Administrative divisions
According to the 1947 constitution, written and promulgated whilst the ROC government still controlled mainland China, the territory of the ROC consisted of provinces, special municipalities, as well as Mongolia[109] and Tibet. Accordingly, when the ROC retreated to Taiwan in 1949, its claimed territory consisted of 35 provinces, 12 special municipalities, 1 special administrative region, as well as Mongolia[109] and Tibet. However, since its retreat, the ROC has controlled only Taiwan Province and some islands of Fujian Province. The ROC also controls the Pratas Islands (Dong-Sha) and Taiping Island in the Spratly Islands, which are part of the disputed South China Sea Islands. They were placed under Kaohsiung administration after the retreat to Taiwan.[110]
Since 1949, the government has made some changes in the area under its control. Taipei became a special municipality in 1967 and Kaohsiung in 1979. The two provincial governments were streamlined and their functions transferred to the central government (Fujian in 1956 and Taiwan in 1998). In 2010, New Taipei, Taichung and Tainan were upgraded to special municipalities. This brought the top-level divisions of the ROC to their current state:[111]
- 5 special municipalities: Kaohsiung City, New Taipei City, Taichung City, Tainan City and Taipei City.
- Taiwan Province (streamlined), comprising
- Fujian Province (streamlined), comprising
- 2 counties: Kinmen County and Lienchiang County
Special municipalities and provincial cities are further subdivided into districts, while counties are subdivided into county-controlled cities and townships.
According to Article 4 of the Local Government Act, laws pertaining to special municipalities also apply to counties with a population exceeding 2 million. Currently, this provision is applied to Taoyuan County.
Politics
The constitution of the Republic of China was drafted before the fall of mainland China to the Communists. It was created by the KMT for the purpose of all of its claimed territory, including Taiwan, even though the Chinese Communist party boycotted the drafting of the constitution. The constitution went into effect on 25 December 1947.[112]
The ROC 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, suspending constitutional components that were originally meant for the whole of China. This process of amendment continues. In 2000, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won the ROC presidency, ending the ROC's one-party rule history under the KMT. 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.[113]
Major camps
The tension between the two Chinas colors most of the political life in Taiwan, and any government move towards "Taiwan independence" is met by threat of military attack from the PRC.[114] The PRC's official policy is to reunify Taiwan and mainland China under the formula of "one country, two systems" and refuses to renounce the use of military force, especially should Taiwan seek a declaration of independence.[115]
The political scene in the ROC is generally divided into two major camps in terms of views on how Taiwan/Republic of China should relate to PRC/Mainland China, referred to as Cross-Strait relations. It is the main political difference between two camps: the Pan-Blue Coalition, composed of the pro-unification and center-right Kuomintang (KMT, majority party), People First Party (PFP), and New Party, who believe that the ROC is the sole legitimate government of "China" (including Taiwan) and supports eventual Chinese reunification. The opposition Pan-Green Coalition is composed of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, majority party), and centrist Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) regards Taiwan as an already independent, sovereign state synonymous with the ROC, opposes the definition that Taiwan is part of "China", and seeks wide diplomatic recognition and an eventual declaration of formal Taiwan independence.[116] The Pan-Green camp tends to favor emphasizing the Republic of China as being a distinct country from the People's Republic of China. Thus, in September 2007, the then 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". It called also for general use of "Taiwan" as the country's name, without abolishing its formal name, the "Republic of China".[117] Some members of the coalition, such as former President Chen Shui-bian, argue 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.[118] Native Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui, whilst being part of the Pan-Blue coalition, also held a similar view and was a supporter of the Taiwanization movement during his presidency.[119]
Pan-Blue members generally support the concept of the One-China policy, which states that there is only one China and that its only government is the ROC. They favor eventual re-unification of China.[120] 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 refusing immediate reunification.[97] President Ma Ying-jeou stated that there will be no unification nor declaration of independence during his presidency.[121][122] As of 2009, Pan-Blue members usually seek to improve relationships with mainland China, with a current focus on improving economic ties.[123]
Current political issues
The dominant political issue in the ROC is its relationship with the PRC. For almost 60 years, there were no direct transportation links, including direct flights, between Taiwan and mainland China. This was a problem for many Taiwanese businesses that had opened factories or branches in mainland China. The former DPP administration feared that such links would lead to tighter economic and political integration with mainland China, and in the 2006 Lunar New Year Speech, President Chen Shui-bian called for managed opening of links. Direct weekend charter flights between Taiwan and mainland China began in July 2008 under the current KMT government, and the first direct daily charter flights took off in December 2008.[124]
Other major political issues include the passage of an arms procurement bill that the United States authorized in 2001.[125] In 2008, however, the United States were reluctant to send over more arms to Taiwan out of fear that it would hinder the recent improvement of ties between the PRC and the ROC.[126] Another major political issue, is the establishment of a National Communications Commission to take over from the Government Information Office, whose advertising budget exercised great control over ROC media.[127]
The politicians and their parties have themselves become major political issues. Corruption among some DPP administration officials has been exposed. 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 political camp led by ex-DPP leader Shih Ming-teh which believes the president should resign. The KMT assets continue to be another major issue, as it was once the richest political party in the world.[128] Nearing the end of 2006, KMT's chairman Ma Ying-jeou was also hit by corruption controversies, although he has since then been cleared of any wrong-doings by the courts.[129] Since completing his second term as President, Chen Shui-bian has been charged with corruption and money laundering.[130]
The merger of the KMT and People First Party (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.[131][132]
National identity
Roughly 84% of Taiwan's population descends from Han Chinese who migrated from mainland China between 1661 and 1895. Another significant fraction descends from Han Chinese who immigrated from mainland China in the 1940s and 1950s. But between 1895 and the present, Taiwan and mainland China have shared a common government for only 4 years. The shared cultural origin combined with several hundred years of geographical separation, some hundred years of political separation and foreign influences, as well as hostility between the rival ROC and PRC have resulted in national identity being a contentious issue with political overtones. Since democratization and the lifting of martial law, a distinct Taiwanese identity (as opposed to Taiwanese identity as a subset of a Chinese identity) is often at the heart of political debates. Its acceptance makes the island distinct from mainland China, and therefore may be seen as a step towards forming a consensus for de jure Taiwan independence.[133] The pan-green camp supports a distinct Taiwanese identity, while the pan-blue camp supports a Chinese identity only.[120] The KMT has downplayed this stance in the recent years and now supports a Taiwanese identity as part of a Chinese identity.[134][135]
According to a survey conducted in March 2009, 49% of the respondents consider themselves as Taiwanese only, and 44% of the respondents consider themselves as Taiwanese and Chinese. 3% consider themselves as only Chinese.[79] Another survey, conducted in Taiwan in July 2009, showed that 82.8% of respondents consider that the ROC and the PRC are two separate countries developing each on its own.[136] A recent survey conducted in December 2009 showed that 62% of the respondents consider themselves as Taiwanese only, and 22% of the respondents consider themselves as both Taiwanese and Chinese. 8% consider themselves as only Chinese. The survey also shows that among 18–29 year old respondents, 75% consider themselves as Taiwanese only.[137]
| Survey | Taiwanese | Chinese | Taiwanese and Chinese |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research, Development, and Evaluation Commission, Executive Yuan (April 2008)[138] | 67.1% | 13.6% | 15.2% |
| TVBS Poll Center (June 2008)[138] | 45% | 4% | 45% |
| Common Wealth Magazine (December 2009)[137] | 62% | 8% | 22% |
| National Chengchi University (June 2010)[139] | 51.6% | 3.8% | 40.4% |
| TVBS Poll Center (March 2009)[79][140] | 72% | 16% | (not an option for this question) |
| TVBS Poll Center (March 2009)[79][141] | 49% | 3% | 44% |
Military
The Republic of China Army takes its roots in the National Revolutionary Army, which was established by Sun Yat-sen in 1925 in Guangdong with a goal of reunifying China under the Kuomintang. When the People's Liberation Army won 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 mainland China were either disbanded or incorporated into the People's Liberation Army.
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.[81] From 1949 to the 1970s, the primary mission of the military was to "retake the mainland" through the Project National Glory. 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. Control of the armed forces has also passed into the hands of the civilian government.[142] As the ROC military shares historical roots with the KMT, the older generation of high ranking officers tends to have Pan-Blue sympathies. 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.[143]
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The ROC began a force reduction program to scale down its military from a level of 450,000 in 1997 to 380,000 in 2001.[144] As of 2009, the armed forces of the ROC number approximately 300,000,[145] with nominal reserves totaling 3.6 million as of 2005.[146] 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.[147] Current plans call for a transition to a predominantly professional army over the next decade.[148][149] Conscription periods are planned to decrease from 14 months to 12.[150] In the last months of the Bush administration, Taipei took the decision to reverse the secular trend of declining defense spending, at a time when most Asian countries kept on reducing their military expenditures. It also decided to modernize both defensive and offensive capabilities. Taipei still keeps a large military apparatus relative to the island’s population: defense expenditures for 2008 were NTD 334 billion (approximately U.S. $10.5 billion), which accounted for 2.94% of GDP.
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.[151] 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 defense package was stalled from 2001–2007 where it was finally passed through the legislature and the US responded on 3 October 2008, with a $6.5 billion arms package including PAC III Anti-Air defense systems, AH-64D Apache Attack helicopters and other arms and parts.[152] A significant amount of military hardware has been bought from the United States, and, as of 2009, continues to be legally guaranteed by the Taiwan Relations Act.[83] In the past, France and the Netherlands have also sold military weapons and hardware to the ROC, but they almost entirely stopped in the 1990s under pressure of the PRC.[153][154]
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 US military responds.[155] There is, however, no guarantee in the Taiwan Relations Act or any other treaty that the United States will defend Taiwan, even in the event of invasion.[156] The joint declaration on security between the US and Japan signed in 1996 may imply that Japan would be involved in any response. However, Japan has refused to stipulate whether the "area surrounding Japan" mentioned in the pact includes Taiwan, and the precise purpose of the pact is unclear.[157] The Australia, New Zealand, United States Security Treaty (ANZUS Treaty) may mean that other US allies, such as Australia, could theoretically be involved.[158] In practice, the risk of losing economic ties with China may prevent Australia from taking action.[159] The United States, United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Canada, Chile, and Peru conduct maritime exercises in the Pacific Ocean every 2 years called RIMPAC. They are conducted to promote stability and to be able to respond in case of an armed conflict in the region – that includes an invasion of Taiwan by China.[160]
Economy
The quick industrialization and rapid growth of Taiwan during the latter half of the 20th century has been called the "Taiwan Miracle". Taiwan is one of the "Four Asian Tigers" alongside Hong Kong, South Korea and Singapore.
Japanese rule prior to and during World War II brought changes in the public and private sectors, 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 it compulsory for all Taiwanese citizens.
By 1945, hyperinflation was in progress in mainland China and Taiwan as a result of the war with Japan. To isolate Taiwan from it, the Nationalist government created a new currency area for the island, and started a price stabilization program. These efforts helped significantly slow the inflation.
When the KMT government fled to Taiwan it brought millions of taels of gold and the foreign currency reserve of mainland China to the island, which, according to the KMT stabilized prices and reduced hyperinflation.[161] Perhaps more importantly, as part of its retreat to Taiwan, the KMT brought the intellectual and business elites from mainland China.[162] 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. Much of this was made possible through US economic aid, subsidizing the higher cost of domestic production.
In 1950, with the outbreak of the Korean War, the US began an aid program which resulted in fully stabilized prices by 1952.[163] The KMT government instituted many laws and land reforms that it had never effectively enacted on mainland China; it implemented a policy of import-substitution, and it attempted to produce imported goods domestically. Much of this was made possible through US economic aid, subsidizing the higher cost of domestic production.
In 1962, Taiwan had a per-capita gross national product (GNP) of $170, placing its economy on a par with those of Zaire and Congo. By 2008 per-capita GNP, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP), had risen to $33,000, contributing to a Human Development Index equivalent to that of other developed countries. Taiwan's HDI in 2007 is 0.943 (25th, very high),[164] and stands at 0.868 in 2010 (18th, very high), according to the UN's new calculating method ("Inequality-adjusted HDI").
Today the Republic of China 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.[165] Real growth in GDP has averaged about 8% 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 fifth largest.[166] The Republic of China has its own currency, the New Taiwan dollar.
Since the beginning of the 1990s, the economic ties between the ROC and the PRC have been very prolific. As of 2008, more than US$150 billion[167] have been invested in the PRC by Taiwanese companies, and about 10% of the Taiwanese labour force works in the PRC, often to run their own businesses.[168] Although the economy of Taiwan benefits from this situation, some have expressed the view that the island has become increasingly dependent on the PRC economy. A 2008 white paper by the Department of Industrial Technology states that "Taiwan should seek to maintain stable relation with China while continuing to protect national security, and avoiding excessive 'Sinicization' of Taiwanese economy."[169] Others argue that close economic ties between Taiwan and the PRC would make any military intervention by the PRC against Taiwan very costly, and therefore less probable.[170]
Taiwan’s total trade in 2010 reached an all-time high of US$526.04 billion, according to Taiwan's Ministry of Finance. Both exports and imports for the year reached record levels, totaling US$274.64 billion and US$251.4 billion, respectively.[171]
In 2001, agriculture constituted only 2% of GDP, down from 35% in 1952.[172] Traditional labor-intensive industries are steadily being moved offshore and with more capital and technology-intensive industries replacing them. High-technology industrial parks have sprung up in every region in Taiwan. The ROC has become a major foreign investor in the PRC, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam. It is estimated that some 50,000 Taiwanese businesses and 1,000,000 businesspeople and their dependents are established in the PRC.[173]
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. 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 the PRC, 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%.[174]
Since the global financial crisis starting with United States in 2007, the unemployment rate has risen to over 5.9% and Economic Growth fallen to –2.9%.[citation needed] However, Taiwan managed to emerge from the crisis in very good shape. In 2010, economic growth reached 10%, the highest rate in almost 30 years, international trade jumped more than 39% to US$526.04 billion, and the job market rose with most businesses set to recruit. As a result, the IMF estimated Taiwan's 2010 GDP-PPP per capita at over US$34,700, surpassing those of Finland, France and Japan.
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 (Chinese Taipei) since 2002.[175]
Leading technologies of Taiwan include:
- Bicycle manufacturing, ex: Giant Bicycles, Merida
- Biotechnology
- Nanotechnology
- Communications technology, ex: D-Link
- Laptops and other computers and displays, ex: Acer, Asus, MSI
- Shipping, ex: Evergreen
- Semiconductor device fabrication, TSMC, UMC
- Smartphones, ex: HTC
- TFT-LCD, ex: Chimei InnoLux Corporation, AU Optronics
- Photovoltaic industry
Education
The higher education system was established in Taiwan by Japan during the colonial period. However, after the Republic of China took over Taiwan from Japan in 1945, the system was promptly replaced by the same system as in mainland China which mixed with features of the Chinese and American educational systems.[176]
The educational system includes six years of elementary school, three years of middle school, three years of high school, and four years of university.[177] 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;[178] However, it has also been criticized for placing excessive pressure on students and eschewing creativity in favor of rote memorization.[179][180]
Many Taiwanese students attend cram schools, or bushiban, to improve skills and knowledge on problem solving against exams of subjects like mathematics, nature science, history and many others. Courses are available for most popular subjects. Lessons are organized in lectures, reviews, private tutorial sessions, and recitations.[181][182]
As of 2003, the literacy rate in Taiwan is 96.1%.[6]
Demographics
Taiwan's population was estimated in 2012 at 23,234,003, most of whom are on the island of Taiwan. The remainder live on Penghu (97,268), Kinmen (105,434) and the Matsu Islands (10,135).[13]
Ethnic groups
About 98% of Taiwan's population is of Han Chinese ethnicity.[6] Of these, 86% are descendants of early Han Chinese immigrants known as the "benshengren" (Chinese: 本省人; pinyin: Běnshěng rén; lit. 'home-province person') in Chinese.[6] This group is often referred to "native Taiwanese" in English, but the term is also frequently used for the Taiwanese aborigines. The benshengren group contains two subgroups: the Hoklo people (70% of the total population), whose ancestors migrated from the coastal Southern Fujian (Min-nan) region in the southeast of mainland China starting in the 17th century, and the Hakka (15% of the total population), whose ancestors originally migrated south to Guangdong, its surrounding areas and Taiwan.[6]
About 12% of population are known as waishengren (Chinese: 外省人; pinyin: Wàishěng rén; lit. 'out-of-province person'), composed of people who (or whose ancestors) emigrated from mainland China after the Chinese Civil War with the KMT government.
The other 2% of Taiwan's population, numbering about 458,000, are listed as the Taiwanese aborigines, divided into 13 major groups: Ami, Atayal, Paiwan, Bunun, Rukai, Puyuma, Tsou, Saisiyat, Tao (Yami), Thao, Kavalan, Truku and Sakizaya.[6]
For sociologists, these ethnic classifications are a social construct, the contestation and compromise between political forces. Sociology scholar Wang Fu-chang writes in his book that Minnanren (Hoklo people), Hakka, Waishengren and indigenous peoples are social categories that have developed over the last fifty years.[183]
Languages
Mandarin is the official national language and is spoken by the vast majority of the population of Taiwan. It has been the primary language of instruction in schools since the Japanese were forced out in the 1940s. Like Hong Kong and Macau, the ROC uses Traditional Chinese characters.[184] However, a small number of characters differ from those used in Hong Kong and Macau.
Most Waishengren speak primarily Mandarin. The 70% of the population belonging to the Hoklo ethnic group speak Taiwanese (a variant of the Min Nan speech of Fujian province) as their mother tongue, in addition to Mandarin, and many others have some degree of understanding. The Hakka ethnic group (15% of the population) use the Hakka language.[185] Although Mandarin is the language of instruction in schools and dominates television and radio, non-Mandarin languages or dialects have undergone a revival in public life in Taiwan, particularly since restrictions on their use were lifted in the 1990s.[184]
People educated during the period of Japanese rule (1895–1945) were taught using Japanese as the medium of instruction. A declining number of people in the older generations understand little or no Mandarin, speaking only the Japanese they learned in school and the Taiwanese or Hakka they spoke at home.
Taiwan's indigenous languages, the Formosan languages, do not belong to the Chinese or Sino-Tibetan language family, but rather to the Austronesian language family. Their use among Taiwan's aboriginal minority groups has been in decline as usage of Mandarin has risen.[184]
Religion
The Constitution of the Republic of China protects people's freedom of religion and the practices of belief.[186] There are approximately 18,718,600 religious followers in Taiwan as of 2005 (81.3% of total population) and 14–18% are non-religious. According to the 2005 census, of the 26 religions recognized by the ROC government, the five largest are: Buddhism (8,086,000 or 35.1%), Taoism (7,600,000 or 33%), I-Kuan Tao (810,000 or 3.5%), Protestantism (605,000 or 2.6%), and Roman Catholicism (298,000 or 1.3%).[187] But according to the CIA World Factbook and other latest sources from US State Department or the Religious Affairs Section of the MOI, over 93% of Taiwanese are adherents of a combination of the polytheistic ancient Chinese religion, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism; 4.5% are adherents of Christianity, which includes Protestants, Catholics, and other, non-denominational, Christian groups; and less than 2.5% are adherents of other religions, such as Islam.[6][188] Taiwanese aborigines comprise a notable subgroup among professing Christians: "...over 64 percent identify as Christian... Church buildings are the most obvious markers of Aboriginal villages, distinguishing them from Taiwanese or Hakka villages."[189]
Confucianism is a philosophy that deals with secular moral ethics, and serves as the foundation of both Chinese and Taiwanese culture. The majority of Taiwanese people usually combine the secular moral teachings of Confucianism with whatever religions they are affiliated with.
As of 2009, there are 14,993 temples in Taiwan, approximately one place of worship per 1,500 residents. 9,202 of those temples were dedicated to Taoism. In 2008, Taiwan had 3,262 Churches, an increase of 145.[190]
Largest cities
The figures below are the 2011 estimates for the twenty largest urban populations within administrative city limits; a different ranking exists when considering the total metropolitan area populations (in such rankings the Taipei-Keelung metro area is by far the largest agglomeration).
Template:Largest cities of the Republic of China (Taiwan)
Culture
The cultures of Taiwan are a hybrid blend of various sources, incorporating elements of traditional Chinese culture, attributable to the historical and ancestry origin of the majority of its current residents, Japanese culture, traditional Confucianist beliefs, and increasingly Western values.
After their move to Taiwan, the Kuomintang imposed an official interpretation of traditional Chinese culture over Taiwanese cultures. The government launched a program promoting Chinese calligraphy, traditional Chinese painting, folk art, and Chinese opera.
The status of Taiwanese culture is debated.[191] It is disputed whether Taiwanese culture is a regional form of Chinese culture or a distinct culture. Reflecting the continuing controversy surrounding the political status of Taiwan, politics continues to play a role in the conception and development of a Taiwanese cultural identity, especially in the prior dominant frame of a Taiwanese and Chinese dualism. In recent years, the concept of Taiwanese multiculturalism has been proposed as a relatively apolitical alternative view, which has allowed for the inclusion of mainlanders and other minority groups into the continuing re-definition of Taiwanese culture as collectively held systems of meaning and customary patterns of thought and behavior shared by the people of Taiwan.[192] Identity politics, along with the over one hundred years of political separation from mainland China, has led to distinct traditions in many areas, including cuisine and music.
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, and is considered one of the greatest collections of Chinese art and objects in the world.[193] 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% is on display at any time. The PRC had said that the collection was stolen and that it legitimately belongs in China, but Taiwan has long defended its collection as a necessary act to protect the pieces from destruction, especially during the Cultural Revolution. Relations regarding this treasure have warmed recently as each side has agreed to lend relics to the other; Beijing Palace Museum Curator Zheng Xinmiao said that artifacts in both Chinese and Taiwanese museums are "China's cultural heritage jointly owned by people across the Taiwan Strait."[194]
Karaoke, drawn from contemporary Japanese culture, is extremely popular in Taiwan, where it is known as KTV. KTV businesses operate in a hotel-like style, renting out small rooms and ballrooms varying on the number of guests in a group. Many KTV establishments partner with restaurants and buffets to form all-encompassing elaborate evening affairs for families, friends, or businessmen. Tour buses that travel around Taiwan have several TV's, equipped not for watching movies, but primarily for singing Karaoke. The entertainment counterpart of a KTV is an MTV, being found much less frequently out of the city. There, movies out on DVD can be selected and played in a private theater room. However MTV, more so than KTV, has a growing reputation for being a place that young couples will go to be alone and intimate.
Taiwan has a high density of 24-hour convenience stores, which, in addition to the usual services, provide services on behalf of financial institutions or government agencies such as collection of parking fees, utility bills, traffic violation fines, and credit card payments.[195] They also provide a service for mailing packages.
Taiwanese culture has also influenced other cultures. Bubble tea and milk tea are available in Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Europe and North America. Taiwan television shows are popular in Singapore, Malaysia and other Asian countries. Taiwanese films have won various international awards at film festivals around the world. Ang Lee, a Taiwanese director, has directed critically acclaimed films such as: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Eat Drink Man Woman; Sense and Sensibility; Brokeback Mountain; and Lust, Caution. Other famous Taiwanese directors include Tsai Ming-Liang, Edward Yang and Hou Hsiao-hsien.
Sports
Baseball is Taiwan's national sport and it is a popular spectator sport. One of the most famous Taiwanese baseball pitchers is Chien-Ming Wang, who is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. Other notable players playing in the United States include Chin-hui Tsao who played for the Colorado Rockies (2003–2005) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (2007), Hong-Chih Kuo, Fu-Te Ni, and Chin-lung Hu. The Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan was established in 1989,[196] and eventually absorbed the competing Taiwan Major League in 2003. As of 2008[update], the CPBL has four teams with average attendance of approximately 3,000 per game.
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Besides baseball, taekwondo has become a rather mature and successful sport in recent years. In the 2004 Olympics, Mu Yen Chu and Shih Hsin Chen proudly won the first two gold medals in men's flyweight event and women's flyweight event, respectively. Ever since the 2004 Olympics, Taiwan's taekwondo potential has become extremely prominent. Subsequent taekwondo competitors such as Shu Chun Yang successfully consolidated Taiwan's taekwondo culture.
In 2009, Taiwan hosted two international sporting events on the island. The World Games 2009 were held in Kaohsiung between 16 July and 26 July 2009. Taipei hosted the 21st Summer Deaflympics in September of the same year.
Taiwan is also a major Asian country for Korfball. In 2008, Taiwan hosted the World Youth Korfball Championship and took the silver medal.[197] In 2009, Taiwan's korfball team won a bronze medal at the World Game.[198]
Yani Tseng is the most famous Taiwanese professional golfer currently playing on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour. She is the youngest player ever, male or female, to win five major championships and has been ranked number 1 in the Women's World Golf Rankings since February 2011.
Public health
Health care in Taiwan is managed by the Bureau of National Health Insurance (BNHI).[199]
The current program was implemented in 1995, and is considered social insurance. The government health insurance program maintains compulsory insurance for citizens who are employed, impoverished, unemployed, or victims of natural disasters with fees that correlate to the individual and/or family income; it also maintains protection for non-citizens working in Taiwan. A standardized method of calculation applies to all persons and can optionally be paid by an employer or by individual contributions.[200]
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.[201]
Taiwan has its own Center for Disease Control, and during the SARS outbreak occurring in March 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 2003, there has not been a case of SARS since.[202] 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 to the World Health Report.
Other health related programs in Taiwan are the Centers for Disease Control[203] and the Department of Health.[204]
Calendar
Taiwan uses two official calendars: the Gregorian calendar, and the Minguo calendar. The latter numbers years starting from 1911, the year of the founding of the Republic of China. For example, 2007 is the "96th year of the Republic",[205] while its months and days are numbered according to the Gregorian calendar.
Usually, year numbering may use the Gregorian system as well as the ROC era system. For example, 3 May 2004, may be written 2004-05-03 or 93–05–03. The use of two different calendar systems in Taiwan may be confusing, in particular for foreigners. For instance, products for export marked using the Minguo calendar can be misunderstood as having an expiration date 11 years earlier than intended.[206]
Taiwan also uses the lunar calendar for traditional festivals such as the Chinese New Year, the Lantern Festival, and the Dragon Boat Festival.[207]
International rankings
The following are international rankings of the Republic of China:
Image gallery
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A white monument. A large alley surrounded by flags leads to it. -
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall gateway by night
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A temple decorated by dragons and other mythical animals. People are gathered in front of it and some of them are praying. -
Dragon on the Longshan Temple
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A religious temple. A one meter high stair leads to the ground floor. Two large pillars and six smaller ones supports a red tiled roof. -
A temple in the middle of a forest with mountains in the background -
An orange and white high speed train -
Ximending, Taipei by night
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A picture showing market food stalls by night.
See also
References
- ^ "Ministry of Foreign Affairs Republic of China (Taiwan)", Ministry of Foreign Affairs Republic of China (TAIWAN).
"Portal of the Republic of China (Taiwan)", Government Information Office, Republic of China (Taiwan). - ^ a b "Yearbook 2004". Yearbook. Government Information Office of the Republic of China. 2004.
Taipei is the capital of the ROC
- ^ "Taiwan (self-governing island, Asia)". Britannica Online Encyclopedia. 1975-04-05. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
- ^ "The Republic of China Yearbook 2009. Chapter 2 – People and Language". Government Information Office. 2009. Retrieved 2 May 2010.[dead link]
- ^ "The Republic of China Yearbook 2009 / Chapter 2: People and Language". Gio.gov.tw. Retrieved 1 August 2010.[dead link]
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Taiwan". The World Factbook (2024 ed.). Central Intelligence Agency., United States Central Intelligence Agency.
- ^ Waishengren usually refers to people who moved from mainland China to Taiwan after 1949 when the KMT retreated to Taiwan due to the Chinese Civil War, and to their descendants born in Taiwan. It usually does not include citizens of the People's Republic of China who more recently moved to Taiwan.
- ^ Taiwanese Aborigines are officially categorised into 14 separate ethnic groups by the Republic of China. They have all been grouped into one group here for simplicity. For the entire list of groups, see List of ethnic groups in Taiwan
- ^ "The ROC's Humanitarian Relief Program for Afghan Refugees". Gio.gov.tw. 2001-12-11. Archived from the original on December 15, 2004. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
- ^ "Taiwanese health official invited to observe bird-flu conference". Gio.gov.tw. 2005-11-11. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
- ^ "Demonyms – Names of Nationalities". Geography.about.com. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
- ^ Although the territories controlled by the ROC imply that the demonym is "Taiwanese", some consider that it is "Chinese" due to the claims of the ROC over all of China. Taiwanese people have various opinions regarding their own national identity.
- ^ a b c "Number of Villages, Neighborhoods, Households and Resident Population". MOI Statistical Information Service. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
- ^ a b c d "Republic of China (Taiwan)". International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
- ^ Regularly check CIA factbook or "Household Income distribution of major countries".
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ a b Due to its political status, the UN has not calculated an HDI for the ROC. The ROC government calculated its HDI for 2010 to be 0.868, and would rank 18th among countries.
- ^ a b http://www.dgbas.gov.tw/public/Attachment/11715383471.doc
- ^ "ICANN Board Meeting Minutes". ICANN. 25 June 2010.
- ^ "Sea Surface Observation in the Taiwan Strait Using Satellite Imager from HRPT Station". Environmental Protection Agency, Republic of China. Retrieved 2011-01-23.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ The island of Taiwan covers an area of 36,008 km2 (13,902.8 sq mi). "Monthly Bulletin of Interior Statistics 2011.4" The total area under jurisdiction of the ROC (Free Area) covers around 36,191 km2 (13,973.4 sq mi).
- ^ "Chapter XIII. Fundamental National Policies". Office of the President of the Republic of China. Retrieved 2011-05-02.
The foreign policy of the Republic of China...in order to protect the rights and interests of Chinese citizens residing abroad
- ^ CIA World Factbook- GDP (PPP)
- ^ Chan, Rachel (17 June 2009). "Taiwan needs to boost public awareness on climate change: EU envoy". The China Post. Retrieved 2009-07-22.
- ^ Yao, Grace (6 October 2008). "The Quality of Life in Taiwan". Social Indicators Research. 92 (The Quality of Life in Confucian Asia: From Physical Welfare to Subjective Well–Being).
a second place ranking in the 2000 Economist's world healthcare ranking
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ "2010中華民國人類發展指數 (HDI)" (PDF) (in Chinese). Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics, Executive Yuan, R.O.C. 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-02.
- ^ "The Games of the Xth Olympiad, Los Angeles 1932, Official Report" (PDF). LA84 Foundation. 1932.
- ^ Garver, John W. (April 1997). The Sino-American Alliance: Nationalist China and American Cold War Strategy in Asia. M.E. Sharp. ISBN 978-0-7656-0025-7.
- ^ "The Birth of the Republic of China". Government Information Office, ROC.[dead link]
- ^ "Chronologie internationale : Asie – La Documentation française" (in French). La documentation Française. Retrieved 29 December 2009.
- ^ "Taiwán – Estados Unidos: Examinan el futuro de las relaciones Taipei-Washington". Gloobal. Retrieved 2010-06-01.
- ^ "Taipei – Guida Turistica con informazioni turistiche sulla città". Paesionline.it. 2010-01-06. Retrieved 2010-06-01.
- ^ "Rüstungsstreit: Obama riskiert Eiszeit mit China – SPIEGEL ONLINE – Nachrichten – Politik". Spiegel.de. Retrieved 2010-06-01.
- ^ a b "The Chinese Revolution of 1911". US Department of State. Retrieved 2009-05-20.[dead link]
- ^ Trocki, Carl A. (1999). Opium, empire and the global political economy: a study of the Asian opium trade, 1750–1950. Routledge. p. 126. ISBN 0-415-19918-2.
- ^ Fenby 2009, pp. 89–94
- ^ Fairbank. China. p. 235. ISBN 0-690-07612-6.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Fenby 2009, pp. 123–125
- ^ Fenby 2009, p. 131
- ^ Fenby 2009, pp. 136–138
- ^ Meyer, Kathryn (2002). Webs of Smoke. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 54–56. ISBN 0-7425-2003-X.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Pak, Edwin (2005). Essentials of Modern Chinese History. Research & Education Assoc. pp. 59–61. ISBN 978-0-87891-458-6.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Guillermaz, Jacques (1972). A History of the Chinese Communist Party 1921–1949. Taylor & Francis. pp. 22–23.
- ^ Fenby 2009
- ^ "南京市". 重編囯語辭典修訂本. Ministry of Education, ROC.
民國十六年，國民政府宣言定為首都，今以臺北市為我國中央政府所在地。(In the 16th Year of the Republic of China [1927], the National Government established [Nanking] as the capital. At present, Taipei is the seat of the central government.)
- ^ (Fung 2000, p. 30)
- ^ Chen, Lifu (1994). Hsu-hsin Chang, Ramon Hawley Myers (ed.). The storm clouds clear over China: the memoir of Chʻen Li-fu, 1900–1993. Hoover Press. p. 102. ISBN 0-8179-9272-3.
After the 1930 mutiny ended, Chiang accepted the suggestion of Wang Ching-wei, Yen Hsi-shan, and Feng Yü-hsiang that a provisional constitution for the political tutelage period be drafted.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ (Fung 2000, p. 5) "Nationalist disunity, political instability, civil strife, the communist challenge, the autocracy of Chiang Kai-shek, the ascendancy of the military, the escalating Japanese threat, and the "crisis of democracy" in Italy, Germany, Poland, and Spain, all contributed to a freezing of democracy by the Nationalist leadership."
- ^ 荆, 知仁. 中华民国立宪史 (in Simplified Chinese). 联经出版公司.
- ^ "This Is the Shame". Time Magazine. 1946-06-10.
- ^ "Snow Red & Moon Angel". Time Magazine. 1947-04-07.
- ^ "Taiwan Timeline – Civil War". BBC News. 2000. Retrieved 2009-06-21.
- ^ Inc, Time (1956). LIFE, Truman, China and History. Vol. 40. Time Inc.
- ^ 评马歇尔离华声明，周恩来选集上卷，1947-1-10
- ^ 首都卫戍司令部，淞沪重庆警备司令，分别致电函京沪渝中共代表，所有中共人员限期全部撤退，重庆:大公报,1947-3-1
- ^ Westad, Odd Arne (2003). Decisive encounters: the Chinese Civil War, 1946–1950. ISBN 0-8047-4478-5.
- ^ a b "Taiwan Timeline – Retreat to Taiwan". BBC News. 2000. Retrieved 2009-06-21.
- ^ Kubek, Anthony (1963). How the Far East was lost: American policy and the creation of Communist China. ISBN 0-85622-000-0.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
temporary-capitalwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "A brief history of Taiwan" (in Chinese). Government Information Office, Republic of China. Retrieved 2009-09-13.
1949年，國民政府退守臺灣後，以臺北為戰時首都
- ^ Dunbabin, J. P. D. (2008). The Cold War. Pearson Education. p. 187. ISBN 0-582-42398-8.
In 1949 Chiang Kai-shek had transferred to Taiwan the government, gold reserve, and some of the army of his Republic of China.
- ^ Ng, Franklin (1998). The Taiwanese Americans. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 10. ISBN 978-0-313-29762-5.
- ^ "28 February 1947 – Taiwan's Holocaust Remembered – 60th Commemoration". New Taiwan, Ilha Formosa. 2007. Retrieved 2009-07-02.
- ^ "Taiwan president apologises for 'white terror' era". Reuters. Retrieved 2009-07-02.
- ^ US Department of Defense (1950). "Classified Teletype Conference, dated 27 June 1950, between the Pentagon and General Douglas MacArthur regarding authorization to use naval and air forces in support of South Korea. Papers of Harry S. Truman: Naval Aide Files". Truman Presidential Library and Museum: 1 and 4.
Page 1: In addition 7th Fleet will take station so as to prevent invasion of Formosa and to insure that Formosa not be used as base of operations against Chinese mainland." Page 4: "Seventh Fleet is hereby assigned to operational control CINCFE for employment in following task hereby assigned CINCFE: By naval and air action prevent any attack on Formosa, or any air or sea offensive from Formosa against mainland of China.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ Alagappa, Muthiah (2001). Taiwan's presidential politics. M.E. Sharpe. p. 265. ISBN 978-0-7656-0834-5.
- ^ "Taiwan Timeline – Cold war fortress". BBC News. 2002. Retrieved 2009-07-02.
- ^ Woodward, Taiwanese hyperinflation, "Yet, the Chinese Nationalist government attempted to isolate Taiwan from the mainland inflation by creating it as an independent currency area. And during the later stages of the civil war it was able to end the hyperinflation on Taiwan, something it was unable to do on the mainland despite two attempts."
- ^ "China: Chiang Kai-shek: Death of the Casualty". TIME. 14 April 1975. p. 3. Retrieved 16 December 2009.
- ^ Sun, Yat-sen (1994). Julie Lee Wei, Ramon Hawley Myers, Donald G. Gillin (ed.). Prescriptions for saving China: selected writings of Sun Yat-sen. Hoover Press. p. 36. ISBN 0-8179-9281-2.
The party first applied Sun's concept of political tutelage by governing through martial law, not tolerating opposition parties, controlling the public media, and using the 1947 constitution drawn up on the China mainland to govern. Thus, much of the world in those years gave the ROC government low scores for democracy and human rights but admitted it had accomplished an economic miracle.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link) - ^ Chao, Linda (1997). Democracy's new leaders in the Republic of China on Taiwan. Hoover Press. p. 3. ISBN 0-8179-3802-8.
Although this party [the KMT] had initiated a democratic breakthrough and guided the democratic transition, it had also upheld martial law for thirty-six years and severely repressed political dissent and any efforts to establish an opposition party. [...] How was it possible that this party, so hated by opposition politicians and long regarded by Western critics as a dictatorial, Leninist-type party, still remained in power?
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ (Fung 2000, p. 67) "Nanjing was not only undemocratic and repressive but also inefficient and corrupt. [...] Furthermore, like other authoritarian regimes, the GMD sought to control people's mind."
- ^ (Fung 2000, p. 85) "The response to national emergency, critics argued, was not merely military, it was, even more important, political, requiring the termination of one-party dictatorship and the development of democratic institutions."
- ^ Copper, John Franklin (2005). Consolidating Taiwan's democracy. University Press of America. p. 8. ISBN 0-7618-2977-6.
Also, the "Temporary Provisions" (of the Constitution) did not permit forming new political parties, and those that existed at this time did not seriously compete with the Nationalist Party. Thus, at the national level the KMT did not permit competitive democratic elections.
- ^ "Out with the old". BBC News. 2002. Retrieved 2009-10-30.
- ^ "Taiwan Timeline – Out with the old". BBC News. 2002. Retrieved 2009-07-03.
- ^ "Taiwan Timeline – Path to democracy". BBC News. 2002. Retrieved 2009-07-03.
- ^ "The One-China Principle and the Taiwan Issue". PRC Taiwan Affairs Office and the Information Office of the State Council. 2005. Retrieved 2006-03-06.[dead link] Section 1: "Since the KMT ruling clique retreated to Taiwan, although its regime has continued to use the designations "Republic of China" and "government of the Republic of China," it has long since completely forfeited its right to exercise state sovereignty on behalf of mainland China and, in reality, has always remained only a separate state on the island of Taiwan."
- ^ BBC News, "Taiwan Flashpoint", "But Taiwan's leaders say it is clearly much more than a province, arguing that it is a sovereign state. It has its own constitution, democratically elected leaders, and 400,000 troops in its armed forces."
- ^ a b c d "ECFA issues and the nationality identification" (PDF). TVBS.
- ^ "Liancheng / Lianfeng Airbase – Chinese Military Forces". Federation of American Scientists. Retrieved 2009-06-07.
In March 2000 it was reported that the PLA Air Force was deploying new air-defense missiles [possibly batteries of Russian-made S-300 missiles] opposite Taiwan at the coastal cities of Xiamen and Shantou, and at Longtian, near Fuzhou.
- ^ a b "2004 National Defense Report" (PDF). ROC Ministry of National Defense. 2004. pp. 89–90. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 11, 2006. Retrieved 2006-03-05.
The PRC refusal to renounce using military power against Taiwan, its current emphasis on 'enhancing preparation for military struggle', its obvious intention of preparing a war against Taiwan reflected in operational deployment, readiness efforts, and annual military exercises in the Southeast China coastal region, and its progress in aerospace operations, information warfare, paralyzing warfare, and non-conventional warfare, all of these factors work together so that the ROC Armed Forces face an increasingly complicated and difficult situation in terms of self-defense and counterattack. These multiple daunting challenges are testing our defense security.
- ^ Macartney, Jane (6 March 2007). "War of words after call for independence". London: Times Online. Retrieved 2009-06-04.
- ^ a b Yates, Stephen J. (16 April 1999). "The Taiwan Relations Act After 20 Years: Keys to Past and Future Success". The Heritage Foundation. Retrieved 2009-07-19.
- ^ "China: US spat over Taiwan could hit co-operation". Agence France Presse. February 2, 2010.
- ^ "Overview of US Policy Towards Taiwan" (Press release). US Department of State. 2004-04-21.[dead link]
- ^ "Countries – China". US Department of State, Office of the Historian. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ Henckaerts, Jean-Marie (1996). The international status of Taiwan in the new world order. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. pp. 96–97. ISBN 90-411-0929-3.
- ^ BBC News, "Taiwan Flashpoint", "Given the huge divide between these two positions, most other countries seem happy to accept the current ambiguity, whereby Taiwan has most of the characteristics of an independent state, even if its legal status remains unclear."
- ^ Vang, Pobzeb (2008). Five Principles of Chinese Foreign Policies. AuthorHouse. p. 46. ISBN 978-1-4343-6971-0.
- ^ "Taiwan and the United Nations". New Taiwan. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ "Taiwan". UNPO. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
- ^ "About TFD". TFD.
- ^ "JOHN TKACIK ON TAIWAN: Taiwan's 'undetermined' status". Taipei Times. 2009-05-13. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ "WHO application: a question of health or politics?". The Taipei Times. 2004-05-19.
- ^ "Taiwan insists on 'Chinese Taipei'". The China Post. 2008-07-25. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ "Taiwan flags in S.L. ruffle a few feelings". The Deseret News. 2002-02-10. Retrieved 2012-01-19.
- ^ a b "Looking behind Ma's 'three noes'". Taipei Times. 2008-01-21. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ Enav, Peter (2008-05-16). "Unification with China unlikely 'in our lifetimes': president-elect". The China Post. Retrieved 2009-06-13.
'It is very difficult for us to see any unification talks even in our lifetimes,' Ma said. 'Taiwanese people would like to have economic interactions with the mainland, but obviously they don't believe their political system is suitable for Taiwan.'
- ^ Eckholm, Erik (2000-03-22). "Why a Victory in Taiwan Wasn't Enough for Some – The New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ BBC News, "Taiwan Flashpoint", "Since neither outcome looks likely in the short or even medium term, it is perhaps not surprising that opinion polls suggest most Taiwanese people want things to stay as they are, with the island's ambiguous status unresolved."
- ^ "Impulsa Taiwan la reconciliación" (in Spanish). El Sol de México. 2008-09-02. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
Esencialmente, no definiríamos la relación a través del estrecho de Taiwan como una relación de dos países o dos Chinas, porque nuestra Constitución no lo permite. Nosotros definiríamos está relación como una relación muy especial, ya que la Constitución nuestra, igual que la Constitución de China continental, no permite la existencia de otro país dentro del territorio.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "The Official Position of the Republic of China on China's Passing of the Anti-secession (Anti-Separation) Law" (Press release). Mainland Affairs Council, ROC Executive Yuan. 2005-03-29.
Section II-2: "'The Republic of China is an independent and sovereign state. Taiwan's sovereignty belongs to the 23 million people of Taiwan. Only the 23 million citizens of Taiwan may decide on the future of Taiwan.' This statement represents the greatest consensus within Taiwan's society today concerning the issues of national sovereignty and the future of Taiwan. It is also a common position shared by both the ruling and opposition parties in Taiwan. A recent opinion poll shows that more than 90% of the people of Taiwan agree with this position.
- ^ Michael D. Swaine (2001) [2001]. "3". Taiwan's Foreign and Defense Policies: Features and Determinants (PDF). RAND Corporation. p. 30. ISBN 0-8330-3094-9. Retrieved 2006-03-05.
Efforts to accurately measure and assess public and group views and interests on these and other issues are fraught with problems, however, such as political bias and the use of unscientific methodologies. A significant number of opinion polls are conducted each year by Taiwan's political parties, newspapers, and various politically oriented private groups or foundations on a wide range of subjects. Many such polls arguably produce inaccurate results, either as a result of sampling errors, biased questions, or a subject's awareness of the highly partisan nature of the polling agency.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthor=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c d e f g "Chapter 4: Government". The Republic of China Yearbook. Government Information Office, Republic of China (Taiwan). 2011. pp. 55–65.
{{cite book}}: External link in|chapterurl=|chapterurl=ignored (|chapter-url=suggested) (help) - ^ "Letter: KMT holds the key". Taipei Times. 2006-09-14. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ Jayasuriya, Kanishka (1999). Law, capitalism and power in Asia. Routledge. p. 217. ISBN 978-0-415-19743-4.
- ^ "Article 5 of the Additional Articles of the Constitution of the Republic of China (Taiwan)". Office of the President. Retrieved 2012-03-23.
- ^ Chang, Rich (2006-01-02). "Nation keeps death penalty, but reduces executions". Taipei Times. Retrieved 2009-11-02.
- ^ a b Article 119 of the Constitution of the Republic of China regards Mongolia as a self-governing provincial-level locality
- ^ "World: Asia-Pacific Analysis: Flashpoint Spratly". BBC. 1999-02-14.
- ^ 中華民國國情簡介 政府組織
- ^ Ginsburg, Tom (2003). Judicial review in new democracies. Cambridge University Press. p. 111. ISBN 0-521-52039-8.
- ^ "Taiwan assembly passes changes". BBC News. 2005-06-07.
- ^ "Country profile: Taiwan". BBC News. 2009-09-11. Retrieved 17 January 2010.
- ^ "China's Threats, Editorial". Washington Post. 2000-02-23. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
- ^ BBC News, "Taiwan Flashpoint", "Officially, the DPP still favours eventual independence for Taiwan, while the KMT favours eventual re-unification."
- ^ "Taiwan party asserts separate identity from China". USATODAY.Com. 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2009-05-29.
- ^ Crisis Group (6 June 2003). "Taiwan Strait I: What's Left of 'One China'?". International Crisis Group. Archived from the original on July 9, 2008. Retrieved 2009-05-29.
- ^ Shirk, Susan L. (2007). China: Fragile Superpower. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-530609-5.
- ^ a b Pares, Susan (2005-02-24). A political and economic dictionary of East Asia. Routledge. p. 267. ISBN 978-1-85743-258-9.
The Pan-Blue coalition on the whole favours a Chinese nationalist identity and policies supporting reunification and increased economic links with the People's Republic of China.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
MasClaimtoMainlandwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Taiwan and China in 'special relations': Ma". China Post. 2008-09-04.
- ^ "World | Asia-Pacific | Taiwan opposition leader in China". BBC News. 2005-04-26. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ Yu, Sophie (16 December 2008). "Direct flights between China and Taiwan mark new era of improved relations". London: Times Online. Retrieved 2009-06-04.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Michael S. Chase (2008-09-04). "Caliber – Asian Survey – 48(4):703 – Abstract". Caliber.ucpress.net. doi:10.1525/as.2008.48.4.703. Retrieved 2009-05-29.
- ^ "US Keeps Taiwan at Arm's Length | David Isenberg | Cato Institute: Commentary". Cato.org. Retrieved 2009-05-29.
- ^ "NCC relinquishes power over China-related media". Taipei Times. 2007-08-09. Retrieved 2009-05-29.
- ^ Bristow, Michael (2001-10-26). "Wealth probe for 'world's richest' party". BBC News Online. Retrieved 2007-11-12.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help); Invalid|ref=harv(help) - ^ "Court clears Ma of graft charges". The China Post. 2008-04-25. Retrieved 2009-05-29.
- ^ "Chen Shui-bian lied about Lien Chan-endorsed check". The China Post. 2008-10-03. Retrieved 2009-05-29.
- ^ "No headway in KMT, PFP merger talks". China Daily. Retrieved 2009-05-29.
- ^ "PFP rejects merger with KMT". Taipei Times. 2002-05-01. Retrieved 2009-05-29.
- ^ Shambaugh, David L. (2006). Power shift. University of California Press. pp. 179–183. ISBN 0-520-24570-9.
- ^ Okazaki, Hisahiko (30 December 2008). "No sign of a 'peace agreement'". The Japan Times Online. Retrieved 2009-07-15.
For one thing, I believe there is recognition that the awareness of Taiwanese identity is now irreversible. The KMT government did things like rename the "Taiwan Post" to "Chunghwa Post" as soon as it came in. But it did not take much time to perceive that it would cause a backlash among the Taiwan populace. The cross-strait exchanges have also brought about opposition demonstrations from time to time. This appears to be one of the reasons for the abrupt decline in the approval rating of the Ma administration.
- ^ "10 Questions: Ma Ying-jeou". TIME. 10 July 2006. Retrieved 2009-07-15.
I am Taiwanese as well as Chinese.
- ^ "Survey on President Ma's Approval Rating and Cross-Strait Relations After First Year of Direct Flights" (PDF). Global Views Survey Research Center. 24 July 2009. Retrieved 23 December 2009.
- ^ a b "天下雜誌民調顯示：6成1民眾擔心經濟傾中 7成5年輕人自認台灣人" (in Traditional Chinese). Retrieved 2010-01-10.
- ^ a b "附表十二:民眾對自我認同的看法" (PDF) (in Traditional Chinese). Retrieved 2010-04-27.
- ^ "資料庫─台灣民眾 台灣人/中國人認同趨勢分布" (in Traditional Chinese). National Chengchi University. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
- ^ Quote: "Table 12: In Taiwan, some people identify themselves as Chinese, some identify themselves as Taiwan (sic). Do you identify yourself as Taiwanese or Chinese? (Do not prompt both Taiwanese and Chinese)"
- ^ Quote: "Table 13: In Taiwan, some people identify themselves as Chinese, some identify themselves as Taiwan (sic). Do you identify yourself as Taiwanese, Chinese or both Taiwanese and Chinese?"
- ^ "Committed to Taiwan". The Wall Street Journal. 2001-04-26. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ Swaine 2001, p. 65, "The ROC military functioned until very recently as an instrument of KMT rule [and] the bulk of the officer corps is still composed of Mainlanders, many of whom allegedly continue to support the values and outlook of more conservative KMT and New Party members. This is viewed as especially the case among the senior officers of the ROC Army. Hence, many DPP leaders insist that the first step to building a more secure Taiwan is to bring the military more fully under civilian control, to remove the dominant influence of conservative KMT elements, and to reduce what is regarded as an excessive emphasis on the maintenance of inappropriate ground force capabilities, as opposed to more appropriate air and naval capabilities."
- ^ "Taiwan Yearbook 2004". Government Information Office, Republic of China. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ Bishop, Mac William (2004-01-01). "Women Take Command". Government Information Office, Republic of China. Retrieved 2009-06-05.
- ^ "Taiwan Yearbook 2005". Government Information Office, Republic of China. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ "ASIA-PACIFIC | Military alternative in Taiwan". BBC News. 2000-05-01. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ "The myth: a professional military in five years". Taipei Times. 2009-03-21. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ "Taiwan to end conscription". The Straits Times. 2009-03-09. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ "Taiwan to shorten conscription term to one year". Central News Agency website, Taipei. 2008-12-03. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ "Kidd-class warships set sail for Taiwan". The Taipei Times. 2005-10-31.
- ^ Rickards, Jane (2008-10-05). "Taiwanese leader hails weapons deal with US". The Washington Post.
- ^ Cabestan, Jean-Pierre (2001). "France's Taiwan Policy: A Case of Shopkeeper Diplomacy" (PDF). CERI. Retrieved 2009-06-05.
By excluding the French companies from the bidding lists of many contract, Peking wanted above all to stop a growing trend (...) to disregard its objections and interests in the Taiwan issue. (...) In spite of the ban of arms sales to Taiwan approved by the French government in January 1994, discreet and small-sized deals have continued to be concluded since then.
- ^ "Taiwan trying to shore up weapons support". USATODAY.com. 2004-09-24. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ Swaine, Michael (2001) [2001]. Taiwan's Foreign and Defense Policies: Features and Determinants (PDF). RAND Corporation. ISBN 0-8330-3094-9. Retrieved 2006-03-05.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ "China Threat to Attack Taiwan Alarms Asia". Associated Press. 2005-03-14. [dead link]
- ^ Kapstein, Ethan B. (1999). Unipolar politics. Columbia University Press. p. 194. ISBN 0-231-11309-9.
The Japanese leadership openly split on whether a crisis in Taiwan was included in the geographic expression "area surrounding Japan." In the event, Japan refused to stipulate the contingencies under which it would provide rear area support for U.S. forces or even the geographic scope of the "area surrounding Japan". (...) The two sides have not articulated clearly what the alliance stands for, nor who it is defined to protect against.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Tow, William (2005). "ANZUS: Regional versus Global Security in Asia?". International Relations in the Asia-Pacific. 5 (2): 197. doi:10.1093/irap/lci113.
{{cite journal}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - ^ "China and Taiwan: flashpoint for a war". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2004-07-14. Retrieved 2009-06-13.
- ^ Lotta Danielsson-Murphy. "ECFA poses new risks for Taiwan-Japan ties". Taiwan News. Retrieved 2010-08-02.
- ^ "Gold Shipped to Taiwan in 1949 Helped Stabilize ROC on Taiwan". Gold Shipped to Taiwan in 1949 Helped Stabilize ROC on Taiwan. Kuomintang News Network. Retrieved June 14, 2011.
- ^ Roy, Denny (2003). Taiwan: A Political History. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. pp. 76, 77. ISBN 0-8014-8805-2.
- ^ Woodward, Taiwanese hyperinflation, "It was the fiscal regime change on Taiwan, as in the European episodes, that finally brought price stability. It was the aid program that brought the budget to near balance, and when the aid program reached its full proportions in 1952, prices stabilized."
- ^ As calculated by Taiwan's Ministry of Budget, National Accountancy and Statistics, based on the following figures (2007): life expectancy / 78.4 years ; literacy rate / 97.6% ; gross combined schooling rate / 101.9% ; per capita GDP-PPP / US$30,352
- ^ Her, Kelly (2005-01-12). "Privatization Set in Motion". Taiwan Review. Retrieved 2009-06-05.
- ^
"Reserves of foreign exchange and gold". World Fact Book. CIA. 4 September 2008. Archived from the original on 26 September 2008. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
Rank 5 Taiwan $ 274,700,000,000 31 December 2007
- ^ Harding, Phil (2010-01-23). "Taiwan's Grand Hotel welcome for Chinese visitors". BBC News. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
- ^ DoIT 2008, p. 5 "Notably, cross-strait political tensions have not prevented Taiwanese firms from investing heavily in China. The cross-strait investments now exceed US$ 100 billions. Four Taiwanese-owned firms rank among China's top 10 biggest exporters. 10% of the Taiwanese labor force now works in China."
- ^ DoIT 2008, p. 5 "Although used-to-be-hostile tension between Taiwan and China has been eased to a certain degree, Taiwan should seek to maintain stable relation with China while continuing to protect national security, and avoiding excessive "Sinicization" of Taiwanese economy. Strategies to avoid excessive "Sinicization" of the Taiwanese economy could include efforts to increase geographic diversity of overseas Taiwanese employment, diversifying Taiwan's export markets and investment. "
- ^ BBC News, "Taiwan Flashpoint", "Some Taiwanese worry their economy is now dependent on China. Others point out that closer business ties makes Chinese military action less likely, because of the cost to China's own economy."
- ^ "Taiwan's 2010 trade hits record high". Taiwan Today. 2010-01-10. Retrieved 2011-01-10.
- ^ "US-Taiwan FTA would have limited impact". bilaterals.org. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ Morris, Peter (4 February 2004). "Taiwan business in China supports opposition". Asia Times Online.
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- ^ "Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu (Chinese Taipei) and the WTO". World Trade Organization. Retrieved 2009-06-07.
- ^ Postiglione, Gerard A. (1997). Asian higher education. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 346–348. ISBN 0-313-28901-8.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ "The Story of Taiwan-Education Taiwan's Educational Development and Present Situation". Government Information Office, Republic of China. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ Gary Phillips (17 November 2007). "Chance Favors the Prepared Mind: Mathematics and Science Indicators for Comparing States and Nations" (PDF). American Institutes for Research. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 26, 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-21.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ Bucknall, Keven (2002). Chinese Business Etiquette and Culture. C&M Online Media, Inc. p. 15. ISBN 0-917990-44-7.
- ^ "Betting on Taiwan's future with the Nankang software park". Taipei Times. 1999-11-01. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ "Over 70% of Taiwanese parents send kids to English bushibans". Invest in Taiwan, Department of Investment Services. 2005-09-02. Archived from the original on June 8, 2008. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ C. Smith, Douglas (1997). Middle education in the Middle Kingdom. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 119. ISBN 0-275-95641-5.
- ^ "Taiwan Culture Portal".
- ^ a b c Languages, The Republic of China Yearbook 2011, Government Information Office, Republic of China (Taiwan).
- ^ Lynn F. Lee. "Languages in Taiwan Today". Government Information Office, Republic of China. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
- ^ Constitution of the Republic of China - Chapter II, Article 13: "The people shall have freedom of religious belief."
- ^ "Taiwan Yearbook 2006". Government of Information Office. 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-07-08. Retrieved 2007-09-01.
- ^ "Taiwan: International Religious Freedom Report 2010". US Department of State: Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. November 17, 2010. Retrieved March 17, 2012.
- ^ Stainton, Michael (2002). "Presbyterians and the Aboriginal Revitalization Movement in Taiwan". Cultural Survival Quarterly 26.2, 5 May 2010 . Retrieved 21 March 2012.
- ^ "15,000 temples", Taiwan News, 28 July 2009. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
- ^ (Yip 2004:230-248; Makeham 2005:2-8; Chang 2005:224)
- ^ (Makeham & Hsiau 2005:125–129); (Winckler 1994:23–41)
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ "Taiwan to loan art to China amid warming ties". Agence France-Presse. 22 September 2010. Archived from the original on 9 October 2010.
- ^ American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei. "Convenience Stores Aim at Differentiation" ( – Scholar search). Taiwan Business Topics. 34 (11).
{{cite journal}}: External link in|format=|ref=harv(help) [dead link] - ^ "Intro of CPBL". Cpbl.com.tw. Retrieved 1 August 2010. [dead link]
- ^ "Netherlands Retains World Youth Korfball Champion; Taiwan is On the Way to the World..." Reuters Newswire. Sat November 8, 2008. Retrieved June 14, 2011.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Hazeldine, Richard (July 22, 2009). "Jujitsu, korfball put Taiwan back on winning track". Taipei Times. Retrieved June 14, 2011.
- ^ "Bureau of National Health Insurance". Taiwan BNHI. 2006-07-18.
- ^ "Bureau of National Health Insurance-National Health Insurance Act". Bureau of National Health Insurance, ROC. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ "Taiwanese Hospital Public Satisfaction Poll". Taiwan Department of Health. October 2004.[dead link]
- ^ "Center for Disease Control". Taiwan CDC. 2006-07-18.
- ^ "Centers for Disease Control, ROC (Taiwan)" (in Traditional Chinese). Retrieved 2009-06-05.
- ^ "Department of Health, Executive Yuan, ROC (Taiwan)" (in Traditional Chinese). Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ Lotta Danielsson-Murphy. "Taiwan Calendar and Holidays". US-Taiwan Business Council. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ "Taiwan may drop idiosyncratic Republican calendar". Taipei Times. 2006-02-25. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ "Holidays and Festivals in Taiwan". Government Information Office, ROC. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ "World Economic Outlook Database. International Monetary Fund". IMF. September 2011. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
- ^ "Country Comparisons – GDP (purchasing power parity)". CIA – The World Factbook. 2011 est. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Report for Selected Countries and Subjects". IMF. September 2011. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
- ^ "Country Comparisons – GDP – per capita (PPP)". CIA – The World Factbook. 2011 est. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Taiwan ranked the world's 22nd and fourth in HDI、GII, respectively (in traditional Chinese)" (PDF) (in Traditional Chinese). Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics, Republic of China. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
- ^ "Annual Worldwide Press Freedom Index". Reporters sans frontières. 2011/2012. Retrieved 2012-03-23.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|year=(help)CS1 maint: year (link) - ^ "Freedom of the Press". Freedom of the Press. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
- ^ "Global Press Freedom". Freedom House. 2011. Retrieved 2012-03-10.
- ^ "Country rankings for trade, business, fiscal, monetary, financial, labor and investment freedoms". The Heritage Foundation and Wall Street Journal. 2012. Retrieved 2012-03-05.
- ^ "Economic Freedom of the World". Economic Freedom of the World. 2011. Retrieved 2012-03-23.
- ^ "Rankings – Doing Business – The World Bank Group". Doing Business. 2011. Retrieved 2012-03-23.
- ^ "Global Competitiveness Report". World Economic Forum. 2011. Retrieved 2012-03-23.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|unused_data=ignored (help) - ^ a b "The Business Competitiveness Index (BCI) ranking" (PDF). World Economic Forum.
- ^ "International | The world's best country". Economist.com. 2004-11-17. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ "The Economist Intelligence Unit's quality-of-life index" (PDF). Economist.com. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
- ^ a b "Sixth Annual Global e-Government Study". Brown University. 2006-08-01. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ "World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY)". International Institute for Management Development. 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-19.
- ^ "The World Competitiveness Scoreboard 2010" (PDF). International Institute for Management Development. Retrieved 2010-05-19.
- ^ "Global Information Technology Report". World Economic Forum. 2010-03-25. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
- ^ "The Networked Readiness Index 2009–2010 rankings" (PDF). World Economic Forum. 2010. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
- ^ "Corruption Perceptions Index 2009". Transparency International. 2009. Retrieved 2010-06-01.
- ^ "The Global Enabling Trade Report 2010". World Economic Forum. 2010-05-19. Retrieved 2010-11-05.[dead link]
- ^ "The Global Enabling Trade Report" (PDF). World Economic Forum. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
- ^ "Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report". World Economic Forum. 2009-03-04. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
- ^ "The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index" (PDF). World Economic Forum. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
- ^ "Strong technology innovation and talent development mark the leaders of the 2008 IT industry competitiveness index". Economist Intelligence Unit. Retrieved 2009-05-07.[dead link]
- ^ "Denmark remains on top of the Economist Intelligence Unit's Business Environment Rankings". Economist Intelligence Unit. 2008. Retrieved 2009-05-07.[dead link]
- ^ "E-readiness rankings 2008, Maintaining momentum". Economist Intelligence Unit. 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-12-04. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
- ^ "Environmental Performance Index". Yale University. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ "Environmental Performance Index – Rankings & Scores" (PDF). Yale University. 2008. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
- ^ a b "Transformation: BTI". Bertelsmann Foundation. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ "Transformation: Status Index". Bertelsmann Foundation. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
- ^ "Transformation: Management Index". Bertelsmann Foundation. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
Further reading
- Fenby, Jonathan (2009). The Penguin History of Modern China: The Fall and Rise of a Great Power, 1850–2009. Penguin Books. ISBN 0-7139-9832-6.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link) - "2008 White Paper On Taiwan Industrial Technology" (PDF). Department of Industrial Technology. 2008. Retrieved 27 November 2009.
- "Taiwan Flashpoint". BBC News. 2005.
- Woodward, G. Thomas (1 February 1989). "The Taiwanese hyperinflation and stabilization of 1945–1952". Journal of Money, Credit & Banking.
{{cite journal}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Fung, Edmund S. K. (2000). In search of Chinese democracy: civil opposition in Nationalist China, 1929–1949. Cambridge modern China series. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-77124-5.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Bush, R. (2007). A War Like No Other: The Truth About China's Challenge to America. Wiley. ISBN 0-471-98677-1.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Bush, R. (2006). Untying the Knot: Making Peace in the Taiwan Strait. Brookings Institution Press. ISBN 0-8157-1290-1.
- Carpenter, T. (2006). America's Coming War with China: A Collision Course over Taiwan. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 1-4039-6841-1.
- Cole, B. (2006). Taiwan's Security: History and Prospects. Routledge. ISBN 0-415-36581-3.
- Copper, J. (2006). Playing with Fire: The Looming War with China over Taiwan. Praeger Security International General Interest. ISBN 0-275-98888-0.
- Federation of American Scientists; et al. (2006). "Chinese Nuclear Forces and US Nuclear War Planning" (PDF).
{{cite web}}: Explicit use of et al. in:|author=(help) - Feuerwerker, Albert (1968). The Chinese Economy, 1912–1949. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
- Gill, B. (2007). Rising Star: China's New Security Diplomacy. Brookings Institution Press. ISBN 0-8157-3146-9.
- Makeham, John; Hsiau, A-chin, eds. (2005). Cultural, Ethnic, and Political Nationalism in Contemporary Taiwan: Bentuhua. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-1-4039-7020-6.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Shirk, S. (2007). China: Fragile Superpower: How China's Internal Politics Could Derail Its Peaceful Rise. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-530609-0.
- Tsang, S. (2006). If China Attacks Taiwan: Military Strategy, Politics and Economics. Routledge. ISBN 0-415-40785-0.
- Tucker, N.B. (2005). Dangerous Strait: the US-Taiwan-China Crisis. Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-13564-5.
External links
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