Timeline of Taiwanese history


This is a timeline of Taiwanese history, comprising important legal and territorial changes and political events in Taiwan and its predecessor states. To read about the background to these events, see History of Taiwan and History of the Republic of China. See also the list of rulers of Taiwan.

3rd century

7th century

12th century

13th century

14th century

16th century

17th century

18th century

19th century

20th century

YearDateEvent
1900Sun Zhongshan visits Taiwan
1905Population census records 2,492,784 Chinese, 82,795 "mountain people", and a total of 3,039,751 Taiwanese residents
1911Liang Qichao visits Taiwan
1913Japanese forces engage in a campaign bring aboriginals on the east coast under government control
1913Hakka people rebel in Miaoli and are defeated
1914DecemberItagaki Taisuke creates the Taiwan Doukakai, a Taiwan assimilationist movement with popular support from Taiwanese
1915JanuaryTaiwan Doukakai comes under attack by Japanese residents and authorities in Taiwan, and it is quickly disbanded
1915Tapani Incident: Marks 20 years of resistance against Japanese rule
1921The Taiwanese Cultural Association is founded
1925Population of Taiwan grows to 3,993,408
1927The Taiwanese People's Party breaks from the Taiwanese Cultural Association
1930Wushe Incident: The Seediq people attack a police station and in response the government intensifies their efforts to govern of the Atayal aborigines
1935Population of Taiwan grows to 5,212,426; Chinese population of eastern Taiwan increases to 70,000
1937AprilChinese language in newspapers is banned and Classical Chinese is removed from the school curriculum
1943Compulsory primary education begins. Enrollment rates reached 71.3% for Taiwanese children and 99.6% for Japanese children in Taiwan making Taiwan's enrollment rate the second highest in Asia after Japan.
19431943 Cairo Declaration: The Allies of World War II demand the restoration of all Chinese territories lost to Japan including Taiwan and Penghu
1944Taiwan is bombed by American forces as part of Allied effort to defeat Japan
194514 AugustJewel Voice Broadcast: Hirohito announces Japan's surrender
194525 OctoberRetrocession Day: Rikichi Andō signs documents "restoring" Taiwan and Penghu to the Republic of China with Chen Yi appointed as Chief Executive.
1945Population of Taiwan grows to 6,560,000
194714 FebruaryTaibei's rice market closes due to a riot
194728 FebruaryFebruary 28 Incident: Six officers attempt to arrest a woman selling cigarettes illegally in Taibei, a Taiwanese man is killed, and as a result mass riots break out all over the island
19478 MarchFebruary 28 Incident: Reinforcements from mainland China arrive in Jilong
194713 MarchFebruary 28 Incident: The Taiwanese resistance is defeated by Chinese KMT
194722 AprilChen Yi is replaced by Wei Daoming
1948NovemberMore than 31,000 refugees enter Taiwan per week
194830 DecemberWei Daoming is replaced by Chen Cheng
1949Approximately 5,000 refugees enter Taiwan each dayKMT retreat to Taiwan
194919 MayWhite Terror : Chinese KMT begins imposing 38 years of Martial law in Taiwan
1949JuneThe New Taiwan dollar is introduced at an exchange rate of one NT to 40,000 old Taiwan dollars
194910 DecemberChinese Civil War: The ROC relocates its government to Taipei.
19501 MarchJiang Jieshi admits that he is personally responsible for the loss of mainland China at his inaugural ceremony for resuming the presidency of the Guomindang
1950Elections are held at local and provincial levels, but not at the national level
19501 MayLanding Operation on Hainan Island: Hainan falls to the Communists.
1951Land Reform in Taiwan: The government starts selling public land to tenant farmers, nearly a fifth of Taiwan's arable land
1952Agricultural exports reach U.S.$114 million
1953JanuaryLand Reform in Taiwan: Amount of land available to landlords is restricted and excess land is sold to tillers
195520 JanuaryBattle of Yijiangshan Islands: People's Liberation Army forces ROC forces off the Yijiangshan Islands
1955Population of Taiwan grows to 9,078,000
1958Second Taiwan Strait Crisis: People's Liberation Army attacks Kinmen and the Matsu Islands but fail to take them
1958Population of Taiwan reaches 10 million
1960Jiang Jieshi's presidency is extended past two terms
1960Institutions of higher education increase to 15, primary schools rise to 1,982, and secondary schools to 299
1961Slightly over half of Taiwan's population lives in urban areas
1964Taiwanese language is banned in schools and official settings
1965Population of Taiwan grows to 12,628,000
1968Compulsory education is extended from 6 to 9 years
1970Taiwan's Gini coefficient falls to 0.321
1971China and the United Nations: The United Nations recognizes the People's Republic of China as the government of China. The Republic of China withdraws from the United Nations.
1975Population of Taiwan grows to 16,150,000
1980Xinzhu Science-Based Industrial Park founded
1985Population of Taiwan grows to 19,258,000
198715 JulyMartial law in Taiwan: Martial law is lifted from Taiwan
1987The Environmental Protection Administration reveals that 15 percent of farmland is contaminated by heavy metals
1990Wild Lily student movement in Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.
1990Number of farm households fall to less than 20 percent
1991Legislative Yuan and National Assembly elected in 1947 were forced to resign.
1991The first democratic election of National Assembly.
1992Fair Trade Law enacted.
1992The first democratic election of the Legislative Yuan.
19921992 Consensus
1994National Health Insurance begins.
1995US government reverses policy and allows President Lee Teng-hui to visit the US. The People's Republic of China responds with the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis by launching a series of missiles into the waters off Taiwan. The Taiwan stock market loses one-third of its value.
1995February 28 Incident monument erected; President Lee Teng-hui publicly apologizes on behalf of the KMT.
1995Population of Taiwan grows to 21,300,000
1996President Bill Clinton dispatches the USS Nimitz supercarrier to patrol the Taiwan Strait.
1996The first direct presidential election; Lee Teng-hui elected.
1997Private cellular phone companies begin services.
1999Resolution on Taiwan's Future
1999Chi-Chi earthquake.

21st century

Citations