Taiwan

History

Taiwan was settled by Malayo-Polynesian peoples around 4,000 BC, though archaeological evidence exists to suggest earlier arrivals. The island was referenced in early Chinese writings and was visited on many occasions. Yet, Chinese settlement did not begin to occur until the 6th century AD. During this time, the Aboriginal inhabitants were assimilated, [Page 1294]killed, or driven into the mountains in the center of the country.

In the 1600s, the Chinese court officially recognized the island as its possession, though the Portuguese (1590s), Japanese (1616), Dutch (1624–1661), and Spanish (1626) had attempted to claim the island. The Dutch in particular were able to sustain a settlement, importing laborers from the mainland of China, and cultivating rice and sugar. From the mid-1600s, when the Dutch were driven out, to 1895, Taiwan was officially ruled by Chinese provincial governors.

In 1895, China lost the island to Japan as part of the Treaty of Shimonoseki, which ended the First Sino-Japanese War. Just before the Japanese took control, the Republic of Formosa (from the Portuguese name given to the island) was established by Chinese inhabitants of the island. The Republic was forcibly dissolved by the Japanese 5 months later. The Japanese subdued the Taiwanese population, but also established factories, plantations, and hospitals. The Japanese government first worked to make the island a model colony. Following the 1919 appointment of a civilian governor, the approach shifted to truly incorporate the Taiwanese as subjects of Japan. The Taiwanese were encouraged to assist Japan in World War II, and were even drafted as soldiers in the final year of the war. Many older Taiwanese still maintain a high regard for the Japanese today.

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