Taiwan Explained

History

Some Politics

Taiwan is an island on the Pacific Ocean. It is separated from mainland Asia by the Taiwan Strait, with the East China Sea to its North, the Luzon Strait to the west, the Philippine Sea to the east, and the South China Sea to the southwest. The Western part of Taiwan is relatively flat, compared to the eas, which is mountainous and contains more than two hundred peaks of over 10,000 feet. Because of that, most of the population lives on the eastern part of the island.

Taiwan and Asia were connected when humans first settled in Taiwan. And because of this, people unintentionally migrated to  Taiwan until sea levels rose and Taiwan became an island about 10,000 years ago. But then, as sea levels rose, Taiwan became an island. In 1622, the Dutch attempted and failed to establish a trading outpost in the Penghu Islands, but two years later, they successfully made a stronghold in Anping, known as Fort Zeelandia. In 1626 Spain tried to establish a trading base in Keelung and then Tamsui. However, sixteen years later, these fell to the Dutch. After the Ming Dynasty fell, Koxinga (Zheng Chenggong) arrived and captured Fort Zeelandia. For many years, it stayed like that. But that changed when China lost Taiwan and Korea to Japan in the First Sino-Japanese War. In 1912, the Qing Dynasty fell. After many years of war, the Nationalists won, creating the Republic of China with Chiang Kai-Shek president. In 1927, the Communists rebelled, which led to a brutal civil war. Japan took advantage of this by invading China in the Second Sino-Japanese War, which later became the Asian front of World War Two, which Japan lost, and the Republic of China got Taiwan again. Soon after, the Civil War started up once again, but the Communists overwhelmingly won, and in 1949, they established the People's Republic of China. The PRC is still in control of mainland China. So, what happened to Chiang Kai-Shek and the nationalists? Most of them fled to Taiwan, where they are still in control of right now.

It would make sense for Taiwan to claim the island of Taiwan and the small islands around it. But let's say that it went a little overboard. You see, Taiwan doesn't just claim Taiwan, it claims 13 other countries! But why? The Republic of China claimed to be the successor of the Qing Dynasty, meaning that it also had to claim what the Qing Dynasty claimed, and maybe more. But Taiwan is involved in another dispute. The South China Sea is one of the most complicated areas in the world. Several nations, including China, Taiwan, and many more, claim parts of the South China Sea, with the Spratly Islands being the most contested ones. This area contains a large Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). To explain it quickly, whoever controls the South China Sea gets all the economic profits: all the fish, oil, and shipping lanes. Now, I know what all of you are thinking: Why doesn't Taiwan declare independence from China, and if needed, fight an independence war? As mentioned earlier, Taiwan claims to be the successor of the Qing Dynasty, claiming all the area of it. That said, Taiwan won't declare independence because of this.

Thank you for reading!