| |
|
| Pre-1400s
- |
Taiwan
inhabited by tribes of Malayo-Polynesian aborigines |
| |
|
| 14th-18th
Cent. - |
Hoklo
emigrants from Fukien province in China begin settling
in Taiwan |
| |
|
| 1500-1700
- |
European
colonization of Taiwan; Dutch, Portuguese and Spanish |
| |
|
| 1590s
- |
Portuguese
name Taiwan "Ilha Formosa" (Beautiful Island) |
| |
|
| 1600-1800
- |
Hakka
emigrants from Kwangtung province in China begin settling
on Taiwan |
| |
|
| 1624
- |
Dutch
establish a colony on the southern tip of Taiwan near
present day Tainan |
| |
|
| 1662
- |
Ming
Patriots Koxinga expels Dutch; uses Taiwan as base to
expel Manchus from China |
| |
|
| 1683
- |
Taiwan
militarily incorporated into Ching dynasty China by Emperor
Yung-cheng |
| |
|
| 1887
- |
Chinese
annex Taiwan, giving it provincial status. Period lasts
8 years |
| |
|
| 1895
- |
Treaty
of Shimonoseki. China looses the Sino-Japanese war and
cedes Taiwan to Japan "in perpetuity." |
| |
|
| 1895-1945
- |
Japanese
colonization of Taiwan |
| |
|
| 1895
- |
Opponents
of Japanese establish "Republic of Formosa." First signs
of independence |
| |
|
| 1911
- |
Overthrow
of the Ching Dynasty: establishment of the Republic of
China (ROC) on the mainland |
| |
|
| 1927-1949
- |
Chinese
civil war between Chinese Nationalists and Communists |
| |
|
| 1943
- |
Cairo
Declaration: issued by the US, UK promising to "restore"
Taiwan to China |
| |
|
| 1945
- |
End
of World War II. Japan surrenders to Allies |
| |
|
| 1945
- |
Chiang
Kai-shek given temporary administrative control over Taiwan
"until a solution is found." |
| |
|
| 1945
- |
ROC
signs United Nations charter and becomes founding member
of the UN |
| |
|
| 1947
- |
2/28
massacre: over 20,000 Taiwanese slaughtered by Nationalist
troops |
| |
|
| 1949
- |
End
of civil war. Nationalists flee to Taiwan |
| |
|
| 1949
- |
People's
Republic of China established fictitiously claiming rule
over Taiwan |
| |
|
| 1949-1987
- |
Martial
Law in Taiwan, i.e. longest in world history; reign of
terror |
| |
|
| 1950
- |
Korean
War: US sends 7th fleet to Taiwan Strait |
| |
|
| 1951
- |
San
Francisco Peace Treaty; legal basis for Taiwanese self-determination |
| |
|
| 1950s-1980s
- |
Widespread
human rights abuse by Nationalists |
| |
|
| 1971
- |
Chiang's
seat in the UN given to Beijing |
| |
|
| 1972
- |
"Shanghai
Communiqué": China and US normalize relations.
US plays "China" card against USSR |
| |
|
| 1979
- |
US
recognizes PRC and de-recognizes ROC |
| |
|
| 1979
- |
US
signs Taiwan Relations Act to protect the welfare and
security of Taiwan |
| |
|
| 1979
- |
"Kaohsiung
Incident": violent suppression of opposition rally |
| |
|
| 1986
- |
Formation
of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) -Taiwan's first
opposition party |
| |
|
| 1987
- |
Martial
Law lifted and replaced by similar National Security Law |
| |
|
| 1988
- |
KMT
appoints Lee Teng-hui President of Taiwan |
| |
|
| 1991
- |
Independence
platform adopted by DPP |
| |
|
| 1992
- |
DPP
gains 1/3 of seats in parliamentary elections |
| |
|
| 1993
- |
UN
rejects ROC's membership application |
| |
|
| 1996
- |
Lee
Teng-hui elected by popular vote as President |
| |
|
| 1996
- |
China
holds missile tests 12 miles off Taiwan's coast |
| |
|
| 1996
- |
U.S.
House and European Parliament pass bills endorsing Taiwan's
UN membership |
| |
|
| 1997
- |
"National
Development Conference" freezes Taiwan's provincial status |
| |
|
