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Taiwan Handed Back to Chinese Control
Following Japan's surrender in World War II, the Allies handed the island of Taiwan to China, which was under Japanese occupation during the war. China before World War II was in a civil war between the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) and the Communists, but the two sides put fighting on hold to temporarily unite against the Japanese. Following World War II, the fighting between the KMT and the Communists resumed (1,3). Photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan_Province,_People%27s_Republic_of_China -
KMT flees to Taiwan
As the Communists gain increasing power over mainland China, the Kuomintang government, led by Chiang Kai-shek flees to Taiwan, and continues to assert itself as the Republic of China. Chiang rules Taiwan with an iron fist, having little tolerance for opposition. Meanwhile, on the mainland, the Communists found the People's Republic of China. The question becomes which one is the legitimate China (1, 3). Photo: Chiang Kai-shek, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuomintang -
UN Recognizes People's Republic of China as Representative of China
The United Nations recognizes the Communist-led People's Republic of China (PRC) instead of the KMT led Republic of China, or Taiwan, as the sole representative of China (3). Photo: UN Flag, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations -
US Opens Diplomatic Relationships with People's Republic of China
The United States opens official diplomatic relationships with the People's Republic of China, and ending them with Taiwan, following the footsteps of most other countries (2). However, the US still maintains an unofficial relationship with Taiwan. That same year, the US passed the Taiwan Relations Act, allowing Taiwan to purchase US weapons (5). -
Taiwan No Longer Claims Mainland as ROC Territory
Taiwan's president, Lee Teng Hui, announces that his government no longer claims the Chinese mainland as under its authority, breaking with his predecessors. The People's Republic sees Taiwan as moving towards independence (5). Photo: Lee Teng Hui, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Teng-hui -
Taiwan Allows Democratic Parliamentary Elections
Chiang Ching-kuo, president of the Republic of China and son of Chiang Kai-shek, allows democratic parliamentary elections for the first time, as part of a series of democratic reforms including reducing press restrictions and legalizing opposition parties (3). Photo: Chiang Ching-kuo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiang_Ching-kuo -
Chen Shui-bian Elected as President of Taiwan
Chen Shui-bian of the Democratic Progressive Party (DDP) wins the presidency, marking the first time an opposition party to the Kuomintang (KMT) is in office. The DPP was more pro-independence than the KMT, which is concerning to the PRC government (3,4). Photo: Chen Shui-bian, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chen_Shui-bian -
PRC Passes Anti-Secession Law
The People's Republic of China (PRC) passes the Anti-Secession Law, which threatens force if Taiwan declares independence. This is just one of many times the PRC has threatened an invasion since the end of the Chinese Civil War. While Taiwan has its own government and laws separate from the mainland, its government has not declared independence yet as of 2020 (6). -
Tsai Ing-wen of the DDP elected president of Taiwan
Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)wins the 2016 presidential election, and wrestling control away from the more PRC-friendly Kuomintang. The DPP is currently more pro-independence than the KMT. Tsai is also the first woman to be president in Taiwan (3). Photo: Tsai with US officials, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsai_Ing-wen -
Trump-Tsai Phone Call
US President-elect Donald Trump engages in a phone call with Taiwan's president, Tsai Ing-wen. This upsets the PRC because Trump's phone call breaks with the US' "One China" policy. The phone call may not seem like a big deal, but Trump accepting the phone call from the highest Taiwanese official makes a statement about Taiwan's legitimacy (6). Photo: Trump, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump%E2%80%93Tsai_call -
Tsai Ing-wen reelected as President
Tsai Ing-wen wins a second term. Since Tsai is part of the Democratic Progressive Party, her reelection continues to concern the People's Republic of China because it still leans more towards independence than the KMT (3).
