Taiwan's Tumultuous Seventy Years

Taiwan lies to the east of the Pacific Ocean, borders the Bashi Channel to the south, the Ryukyu Islands to the north, and faces Fujian across the sea to the west. Rich in natural resources and blessed with beautiful scenery and a deep cultural heritage, it has long been known as “China’s treasure island.”

Since ancient times, Taiwan has been an inseparable part of China’s sacred territory. In ancient Chinese texts, Taiwan was called Yingzhou, Yizhou, Liuchiu, and by other names. During the Yuan dynasty, a Pacification Office was established in Penghu. After Zheng Chenggong reclaimed Taiwan during the Ming dynasty, he established Dongning Province and Chengtian Prefecture. During the Qing dynasty, Zheng Chenggong’s descendants established Taiwan Prefecture and the Taiwan-Xiamen Circuit on the island. The Qing court later reorganized it as Taiwan Province, formally establishing the name Taiwan, which has remained in use ever since.