The History of Taiwan on Animated Map

Summary

The history of China-Taiwan relations is marked by a series of occupations and conflicts. Initially inhabited by Austronesians and later ruled by various colonial powers, Taiwan was annexed by the Qing Dynasty in the 17th century. After Japan's control from 1895-1945, Taiwan returned to China. However, after the Chinese Civil War, the defeated Kuomintang fled to Taiwan, establishing a separate government. Today, Taiwan is a democratic and economically advanced society, while China remains a totalitarian regime seeking to reclaim Taiwan, leading to ongoing tensions and potential conflict.

Takeaways

• 🚀 Chinese missiles are flying over Taiwan amid military exercises by China's armed forces, raising fears of a potential invasion and a third world war.
• 📜 Taiwan has a complex history of control, from Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, and Japanese rule, with significant influence from Chinese refugees and local Austronesians.
• ⚔️ The island's strategic importance was highlighted by the Dutch and Spanish colonies in the 17th century, leading to the Dutch victory and the establishment of plantations.
• 👑 Taiwan was annexed by the Qing Dynasty after a series of conflicts and became part of China for several centuries until the Japanese occupation in 1895.
• 💥 The Chinese Civil War between the Kuomintang and the Chinese Communist Party led to the establishment of the People's Republic of China on the mainland and the retreat of Kuomintang to Taiwan.
• 🇺🇸 The United States has historically supported Taiwan, passing the Taiwan Relations Act in 1979, which promises military support in the event of an attack.
• 🗳️ Taiwan transitioned to democracy in the late 20th century, with significant political reforms leading to free parliamentary elections in 1992.
• 💻 Taiwan experienced an economic boom, known as the Taiwan Economic Miracle, focusing on high-tech production and semiconductor manufacturing.
• 🔴 China underwent significant economic reforms under Deng Xiaoping, transitioning to a capitalist mode of production, while maintaining a totalitarian political regime.
• 🌐 The international status of Taiwan is contentious, with China pressuring countries to sever diplomatic relations with Taiwan, while Taiwan seeks greater international recognition.

Q & A

What was the initial attempt by the Chinese authorities to incorporate Taiwan?

The first attempts by the Chinese authorities to incorporate Taiwan were made in 610.

Who ruled Taiwan before it came under Chinese control?

Before the 17th century, the majority of Taiwan’s population was Austronesian. The island was also under Portuguese, Dutch, and Spanish control at different times.

How did the Qing Dynasty come to annex Taiwan?

The Qing Dynasty annexed Taiwan after defeating Zheng Chenggong, who had moved to Taiwan with his fleet and created the Kingdom of Tungning. The Qing Dynasty managed to capture Taiwan after 22 years.

What was the impact of the Opium Wars on China's control over Taiwan?

The Opium Wars weakened China significantly, leading to a series of defeats that culminated in the loss of Taiwan to Japan after the First Sino-Japanese War in 1895.

What changes occurred in Taiwan after it was handed over to Japan in 1895?

Taiwan was ruled by a Japanese government led by a governor-general who introduced japanification, integrating Japanese culture and administrative practices.

How did the Chinese Civil War affect Taiwan?

During the Chinese Civil War, the Kuomintang, led by Chiang Kai-shek, evacuated to Taiwan after being defeated by the Chinese Communist Party. They established a separate government there.

What was the role of the United States in the Taiwan-China conflict?

The United States provided substantial support to Taiwan, including arms and financial assistance, and passed the Taiwan Relations Act in 1979 to ensure military support in the event of an attack.

How did Taiwan transition to a democratic system?

After Chiang Kai-shek’s death, his son Chiang Ching-Kuo and later Lee Teng-hui led Taiwan towards democratization, culminating in the first free parliamentary elections in 1992.

What was the economic development of Taiwan like post-World War II?

Taiwan developed a capitalist economy, focusing on high-tech production, attracting foreign investments, and implementing land reforms. This led to rapid economic growth known as the Taiwan Economic Miracle.

What is the current political stance of Taiwan regarding its independence from China?

The Democratic Progressive Party, led by President Tsai Ing-wen since 2016, advocates for Taiwan's independence and international recognition, rejecting unification with China.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Chinese Military Actions and Historical Context

Chinese missiles are flying over Taiwan, and China's armed forces are conducting military exercises near the island. The history of China's relations with Taiwan reveals a long-standing tension. Attempts to incorporate Taiwan began in 610 and included periods of Japanese rule and local governance. In the 17th century, Taiwan was populated mainly by Austronesians, with some Chinese traders and pirates. The island experienced various colonial rules, including Portuguese, Dutch, and Spanish, before coming under Qing Dynasty control after the Ming Dynasty's fall. The Qing Dynasty's eventual annexation of Taiwan lasted several centuries, ending with Japan's victory in the First Sino-Japanese War.

05:02

🛡️ Chinese Civil War and Aftermath

The Chinese Civil War involved the Kuomintang and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The Kuomintang, a nationalist party, clashed with the CCP, leading to a series of conflicts and temporary alliances against external threats like Japan. After World War II, the civil war resumed, with the Kuomintang eventually retreating to Taiwan as the CCP established the People's Republic of China. Taiwan became a separate political entity, with ongoing tensions and occasional border conflicts with mainland China. The United States has provided military support to Taiwan since 1949, solidified by the Taiwan Relations Act in 1979.

10:02

🏛️ Taiwan's Political and Economic Evolution

Taiwan underwent significant political and economic transformations. After authoritarian rule under Chiang Kai-shek and his son Chiang Ching-Kuo, Taiwan democratized in the late 20th century. Lee Teng-hui's presidency saw the first free parliamentary elections and increased political freedoms. Economically, Taiwan developed as a capitalist nation, leveraging its infrastructure, attracting foreign investment, and becoming a leader in semiconductor production. The Taiwan Economic Miracle marked a period of rapid GDP growth, solidifying Taiwan's position in the global economy.

🌏 China's Political and Economic Shifts

After Mao Zedong's rise to power, China underwent nationalization and the failed 'Great Leap Forward' policy, leading to economic devastation and mass starvation. Deng Xiaoping's leadership introduced economic reforms, transitioning China to a private capitalist economy while maintaining strict political control. Foreign investments surged, but censorship and repression persisted. Despite economic growth, China's totalitarian regime continued to suppress political dissent and control information.

🌐 International Status and Relations

For years, the Republic of China (Taiwan) was recognized internationally. However, in 1971, the United Nations shifted recognition to the People's Republic of China (PRC). The US established diplomatic relations with the PRC in 1979 but maintained informal ties with Taiwan. Economic cooperation exists between Taiwan and the PRC, but official diplomatic recognition is absent. China's pursuit of global dominance and Taiwan's push for independence under President Tsai Ing-wen have intensified tensions, with potential conflicts involving long-standing allies like the United States.

Keywords

💡Taiwan

Taiwan is an island nation with a complex history of colonial and political influences, including Portuguese, Dutch, and Japanese rule, before becoming a democratic country. The video discusses Taiwan's transition from Chinese control, through Japanese occupation, and its development into a high-tech, post-industrial economy while facing ongoing threats from China.

💡People’s Republic of China (PRC)

The People's Republic of China, established by Mao Zedong in 1949, is the communist government that claims Taiwan as part of its territory. The video explains the PRC's historical efforts to annex Taiwan and the political and military tensions that continue to this day.

💡Kuomintang

Kuomintang is the Chinese Nationalist Party that fled to Taiwan after losing the Chinese Civil War to the communists in 1949. The video covers their role in Taiwan's government and their ongoing political influence, advocating for maintaining the status quo with mainland China.

💡Chinese Civil War

The Chinese Civil War was a conflict between the Kuomintang and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) that resulted in the CCP's victory and the establishment of the PRC. The video details the war's impact on China's political landscape and the subsequent retreat of the Kuomintang to Taiwan.

💡Mao Zedong

Mao Zedong was the leader of the Chinese Communist Party who established the People’s Republic of China in 1949. The video highlights his role in shaping modern China, his policies, and their impact on both China and Taiwan.

💡Chiang Kai-shek

Chiang Kai-shek was the leader of the Kuomintang who retreated to Taiwan after losing the Chinese Civil War. The video discusses his role in Taiwanese history and his attempts to reclaim mainland China with the support of the United States.

💡Taiwan Relations Act

The Taiwan Relations Act is a U.S. law enacted in 1979 that ensures American support for Taiwan in the event of an attack. The video describes how this act has shaped U.S.-Taiwan relations and contributed to the island's defense against potential Chinese aggression.

💡Economic Miracle

The Economic Miracle refers to Taiwan's rapid economic growth and development from the 1960s onwards. The video explains how Taiwan transitioned into a major producer of semiconductors and electronics, boosting its GDP and global economic standing.

💡Deng Xiaoping

Deng Xiaoping was a Chinese leader who initiated economic reforms that transitioned China from a strictly communist economy to one incorporating capitalist elements. The video discusses his influence on China's economic policies and their impact on its growth and international relations.

💡One China Policy

The One China Policy is the diplomatic acknowledgment that there is only one Chinese government, with the PRC being the legitimate government of China, including Taiwan. The video touches on how this policy affects Taiwan's international recognition and its complex relationship with mainland China.

Highlights

Chinese missiles are dangerously flying over Taiwan, and China’s armed forces are conducting military exercises near the island, which could lead to a full-scale invasion and potentially a third world war.

Early attempts by Chinese authorities to incorporate Taiwan date back to 610, but the island later fell under Japanese rule and other influences.

Before the 17th century, the majority of Taiwan’s population was Austronesian, with Chinese presence being minimal.

The Dutch East India Company established a presence on Taiwan’s southern coast in 1624, and the Spanish on the northern edge in 1626, leading to Dutch-Spanish conflicts.

The Manchurian Qing Dynasty eventually annexed Taiwan in the late 17th century after defeating the Ming Dynasty and Zheng Chenggong's forces.

Taiwan was ceded to Japan following China’s defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War in 1895, where it remained until the end of World War II.

The Chinese Civil War between the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) led to the KMT retreating to Taiwan in 1949 after the communist victory.

The United States has provided substantial support to Taiwan since 1949, including the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 which ensures military support in case of an attack.

Both Taiwan and China were ruled by authoritarian regimes until the late 1970s, with significant political repression and censorship.

Taiwan underwent democratization in the late 1980s under Chiang Ching-Kuo and Lee Teng-hui, resulting in political freedom and competitive elections.

Taiwan's economy experienced rapid growth, known as the Taiwan Economic Miracle, driven by high-tech production, foreign investments, and land reforms.

China, under Mao Zedong, faced economic challenges with policies like the Great Leap Forward but shifted towards economic liberalization under Deng Xiaoping.

China maintains a totalitarian regime with strict censorship and political repression, despite economic growth and development.

Taiwan and China have economic cooperation but do not officially recognize each other, with China increasing pressure on Taiwan under President Tsai Ing-wen’s administration.

The history of Taiwan's annexation, Japanese occupation, and subsequent development into a democratic nation contrasts sharply with China's continued authoritarian rule and aspirations to annex Taiwan.

Transcripts

Chinese missiles are dangerously flying over Taiwan, and China’s armed forces are conducting

military exercises near the island.

An exercise that could turn into a full-scale invasion by the army of communist China and

result in a third world war for all mankind.

What was the history of China’s relations with Taiwan, and why did such tensions arise

between the two countries?

Taiwan before Chinese rule The first attempts by the Chinese authorities

to incorporate Taiwan were made in 610.

Later, however, these lands fell under Japanese rule, local pirates, or returned to Chinese

territory.

Before the 17th century, the majority of Taiwan’s population was Austronesian.

Chinese craftsmen, pirates, and traders made up only a small proportion of the population.

Initially, in the era of geographical discoveries, the island was under Portuguese rule and was

named Formosa.

Subsequently, the Dutch East India Company (1624) established itself on its southern

coast, and the Spanish (1626) established themselves on the northern edge.

The Dutch desire to get rid of their trade rivals and sworn enemies spurred them to war

with the Spanish colony of Taiwan and culminated in a victory for the Dutch in 1642.

The Dutch colonists developed a network of rice and sugar plantations and also used Formosa

as a trading base in the Pacific.

Annexation of Taiwan by China Meanwhile, in mainland China, there was a

full-scale conquest of the country by the Manchurian Qing Dynasty.

The Ming Dynasty suffered one defeat after another, and until 1661, the Qing Dynasty

spread to almost the entire Chinese mainland.

One of the last Manchus fighters was Zheng Chenggong.

He decided to move his vast fleet including nearly 100,000 troops and large numbers of

Chinese refugees to Taiwan.

He broke up the small Dutch garrisons and created his own Kingdom of Tungning, which

was largely populated by Chinese refugees.

However, the enormous human and economic resources of the conquered China allowed the Qing Dynasty

to organize the capture of Taiwan in 22 years.

They were able to annex Taiwan to mainland China for several centuries.

After centuries of self-isolation, Qing China arrogantly and without reason considered itself

to be an advanced country, although it was hopelessly lagging behind European countries

in industrial and military technology.

European colonizers took advantage of that and inflicted a series of painful defeats

on China in the Opium Wars (1840-1842, 1856-1860) and the French-Chinese War (1884-1885).

After these military humiliations, unequal trade treaties were imposed on China, making

it impossible to protect China’s young industry and exacerbating the country’s economic

decline.

Japan took advantage of the weakening of China and defeated the agonizing Qing Empire in

the first Sino-Japanese War.

Under the 1895 peace treaty, China had lost Korea and handed over Taiwan to Japan.

The island was ruled by a Japanese government led by a governor-general, who had introduced

japanification.

Chinese Civil War By contrast, China itself was in turmoil at

this time, with several massive uprisings and the overthrow of the corrupt Qing Dynasty

in 1912.

The Xinhai Revolution, in which the rule of the Chinese Emperor was abolished, led to

the establishment of a republic and the formation of several political groups.

They were engaged in an intransigent struggle that eventually degenerated into a civil war.

Kuomintang and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) were two major sides in that war.

Kuomintang was a Chinese Nationalist Party that was close to the ideas of capitalist

economics.

The communists sought to build communism and nationalize the enterprises.

Despite sharp ideological contradictions, these parties united against the various military

juntas that controlled much of China.

Thanks to the success of the Northern Expedition, the parties were able to establish their power

in almost the entire eastern part of the country, where the majority of the population lived.

Soon after, however, a bloody standoff broke out between the Kuomintang, led by Chiang

Kai-shek, and the Chinese Communists, which began with the execution of the Shanghai communists

by the Kuomintang.

The Communist Party went underground.

Most of its military units had been destroyed, and party members had been subjected to reprisals.

However, the Communist core, led by Mao Zedong, managed to save its forces and redeploy its

units from southern China during the Great Campaign (1934-1936) to the area near Yenan,

where it was much more convenient to receive aid from the Soviet Union.

China’s War with Japan Meanwhile, Japan, taking advantage of China’s

weakness and disengagement, captured Manchuria in 1932 and established the puppet state of

Manchukuo, led by former Chinese Emperor Puyi.

Five years after a series of localized military engagements with Chinese forces, the Japanese

Army of nearly half a million launched a full-scale invasion of China.

Despite the numerical advantage of the various Chinese armies, the Japanese were able to

quickly defeat the Chinese forces near Shanghai with better training, discipline, and equipment.

The Japanese also defeated Chinese forces near Nanjing and occupied almost the entire

coast of China and much of the eastern province.

In this situation, the Communists and Kuomintang members decided to reconcile temporarily and

join forces to fight a ruthless enemy.

The bloody and bitter war with the Japanese occupiers continued with mixed success until

the end of the Second World War, costing the Chinese people more than 17 million lives.

The Communist-Kuomintang standoff after World War II

It was not until 1945 that the allies in the anti-Hitler coalition were able to defeat

Nazi Germany and launch an active offensive against the Japanese troops stationed on mainland

Asia.

The Soviet army liberated North China and Manchuria from the Japanese.

The liberation of other Chinese territories was carried out by the forces of the Kuomintang

and the CCP, with significant support from Britain and the United States.

Immediately after the expulsion of the Japanese, an irreconcilable struggle between the Communists

and the Kuomintang resumed, with Mao Zedong relying on the support of the USSR, the resources

of Manchuria, and northern China.

The US government, fearing the rise of communism, began to lend support to the ruling nationalist

Kuomintang.

In the same year, the Republic of China led by Chiang Kai-shek became a member of the

United Nations (1945).

In addition, the island of Taiwan was returned to China.

However, total corruption, fatigue from the Kuomintang’s repressions, and the collapse

of government forces led to the triumph of the communists.

They managed to capture all of eastern and central mainland China until 1949.

Kuomintang's loyalists led by Chiang Kai-shek and the remnants of the defeated government

forces of the Republic of China evacuated to Taiwan, from where they planned to retake

mainland China with US help.

Meanwhile, Mao Zedong had established a communist People’s Republic of China on mainland China,

which regarded Taiwan only as an integral part.

The China-Taiwan Struggle There were two small border conflicts between

Taiwan, which was ruled by the Kuomintang, and the PRC.

During the skirmishes, the Chinese people from Taiwan had to repel the Chinese mainland’s

attempts to capture the islands between Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China.

From 1954 to 1955, the People’s Republic of China captured the Yijiangshan and Dachen

Islands, and three years later tried to take control of the archipelago near Tianmen.

However, after losing 25 fighters in the battle, the Communist Chinese army retreated.

The United States has provided substantial support to Taiwan in these conflicts, having

provided arms and financial support to this island nation since 1949.

In addition, the United States passed the Taiwan Relations Act in 1979, which provides

for military support in the event of an attack by another country on the island.

The People’s Republic of China was actively supported by the Soviet Union until the end

of the sixties.

Taiwan’s political changeover Both countries were ruled by authoritarian

regimes in the late 1970s.

They carried out brutal repression against their political opponents, turned the election

into a sham, and imposed severe censorship.

Chiang Kai-shek created a single dictatorship in the Republic of China in Taiwan, and Mao

Zedong established a totalitarian regime in China.

After the death of Chiang Kai-shek (1975), his son Chiang Ching-Kuo came to power in

Taiwan and ruled until 1988.

He abolished martial law and eased censorship.

During the reign of his successor, Lee Teng-hui (1988-2000), the country underwent final democratization

and held its first free parliamentary elections (1992).

Lee’s reforms gave the Taiwanese complete political freedom.

Today, Taiwan’s political life is characterized by a clash between two major parties: the

Kuomintang, which held power until 2000, and the Democratic Progressive Party, led by Tsai

Ing-wen, who has held her position since 2016.

Democrats advocate international recognition of Taiwan’s independence and reject the

possibility of unification or rapprochement with China.

This, of course, is extremely unpopular with Chinese communists.

The representatives of Kuomintang officially take a rather moderate position and advocate

the preservation of the current state of relations with mainland China.

Taiwan's economy Taiwan developed as a capitalist country.

He made good use of the infrastructure that had been built during the Japanese regime.

Also, it was attracting foreign investments.

The island republic relied on high-tech production of component parts and electronics.

It also introduced land reform, which stimulated the development of farming.

In addition, the government of the island republic (1959) introduced concessional assistance

and loan programs for its citizens.

This has contributed to the growth of small and medium-sized businesses.

Since the sixties, Taiwan has experienced a boom in the production of chips and semiconductor

parts.

Many Japanese and American manufacturers of household and computer equipment including

Toshiba, Panasonic, IBM, and Intel opened their branch offices in Taiwan.

This helped the rapid economic growth that went down in history as the Taiwan Economic

Miracle.

During this time, the country’s GDP growth increased by 9% during the year (1952-1982).

At the beginning of the 21st century, Taiwan produced 62% of the world’s semiconductors,

and the country was ranked 18th in terms of per capita GDP.

China’s Economic and Political Development In China, after Mao Zedong came to power,

enterprises were nationalized.

There was also a failed policy of «the great leap forward» which was established to overcome

China’s economic and technological lag.

During this program, an absurd and pernicious war with sparrows was conducted, in villages

was initiated the steel production of very poor quality, village land was collectivized

and harvests were requisitioned.

The designs that were supposed to spur industrialization devastated mainland China’s economy and

resulted in the starvation of about 36 million people.

China’s economic policy changed significantly after coming to power of Deng Xiaoping (1978).

During his reign, there was a transition from a communist state mode of production to a

private capitalist one.

Foreign investments were also attracted, including money from American companies, which were

attracted by the shocking cheapness of Chinese labor and the presence of rich deposits of

lithium, iron, and aluminum.

After the economic reforms, the Chinese economy began to grow steadily and confidently, but

no political liberalization took place in this totalitarian state.

The Communist Party of China continues to maintain a monopoly on political activity

in the country.

There’s a lot of censorship.

Wikipedia, YouTube, and Facebook are banned.

Reprisals are carried out against dissidents and members of national minorities.

International status of China and Taiwan and relations between them

For a long time, Chiang Kai-shek’s government, situated in Taiwan, was recognized by the

United Nations and most of the countries of that time as the sole legitimate representative

of China.

The situation changed in 1971 when a majority of United Nations members voted to replace

the representative of the Republic of China (Taiwan) with the representative of the People’s

Republic of China.

In 1978, Communist China began to open up its economy.

A year later, the US realized new trade opportunities and officially established diplomatic relations

with China.

However, they continued their partnership with Taiwan.

Following this decision, most countries established diplomatic relations with China and severed

relations with Taiwan.

The few countries that still have formal diplomatic contacts with Taipei are under systematic

political and economic pressure from communist China.

There is economic cooperation between Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China, but

at the official level, the countries do not recognize each other.

In China, there is a «Ministry of Island Affairs», which is responsible for contact

with Taiwan.

In Taiwan, this role is played by the «Mainland Affairs Council».

The desire of the Chinese authorities for world domination and expansion in Asia stimulates

the People’s Republic of China to intensify its efforts in the sphere of Taiwan’s annexation.

Most of the island’s residents feel no political affiliation to mainland China and do not want

to live in communist China.

The People’s Republic of China increased pressure on Taiwan after the Taiwanese elected

president Tsai Ing-wen, who is a supporter of Taiwan’s independence.

The People’s Republic of China’s desire to show its military might through constant

military exercises in the waters near Taiwan and a possible military invasion could trigger

a full-scale war between Communist China and the United States, which has been a long-standing

ally of Taiwan.

Summary Taiwan was annexed to mainland China for a

long time in the second half of the 17th century.

It was then that the Chinese refugees arrived and became the majority of the island’s

population.

After the First Sino-Japanese War, Taiwan was occupied by Japan.

Only after the Second World War did it return to China.

At the time, the ruling party in the Celestial Empire was Kuomintang, but four years later

the party was defeated in a civil war with the communists.

The leader of Kuomintang, Chiang Kai-shek, along with his supporters, remnants of the

armies, and settlers evacuated to Taiwan.

The communists formed the People’s Republic of China throughout mainland China.

Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China followed different paths of development.

As a result, Taiwan had established a democratic country with a high standard of living and

a post-industrial high-tech economy.

In China, despite changes in economic strategies, a totalitarian communist regime continues

to reign, seeking to extend its dictatorial power to freedom-loving Taiwanese.