History

Taiwan's aboriginal peoples, who originated in Austronesia and southern China, live on Taiwan for 12,000 to 15,000 years. Significant migration to Taiwan from the Chinese mainland began as early as 500. In 1590 Portuguese explorers discover Taiwan and name it Formosa.

Formosa becomes a Dutch colony in 1642. In 1664 Cheng Ch'eng-kung conquers the island and in 1683 his successors submit the island under control of China. After the Sino-Japanese war China has to hand over Taiwan in 1895 to Japan.
During its 50 years of colonial rule, Japanese rule leads to the 'Japanization' of the island, including Japanese education and forcing residents of Taiwan to adopt Japanese names.

As a result of the Japanese defeat in World War II Taiwan is returned to China in 1945. From the 1930s onward a civil war is underway on the mainland between the National People's Party, KMT and the Chinese Communist Party. When the civil war ends in 1949, 2 million refugees, predominately from the Nationalist government, military, and business community, flee to Taiwan. That year the People's Republic of China is founded on the mainland by the victorious communists.

From that time the Republic of China only includes Taiwan and some islands at the Chinese coast. The Republic is a dictatorial state, lead by the Kuo Min Tang of Chiang Kai-shek, that claims to represent the whole of China. He dies in 1975 and is succeeded by Yen Chia-kan in 1975 and Chiang Ching-kuo in 1978.

Chiang Kai-shek's successor, his son Chiang Ching-kuo, begins to liberalize Taiwan's political system, a process that continues when Lee Teng-hui takes office in 1988. When Lee Teng-hui becomes president in 1996 a further step towards democracy has been made. The KMT remains in power until 2000, when the Democratic Progressive Party, MCT, under Chen Sui-ban wins the elections. At the 2004 elections Chen is confirmed in office with a slim majority in office. These results are disputed by the opposition.