Official name: Republic of China Autonomous since: 1948 Location: East Asia, off of China coast Area: 13,892 square miles Capital: Taipei
Population: 22.5 million (2002 est.)
Official language: Mandarin Chinese Major religions: Buddhism; Confucianism; Taoism Gross domestic product: US$386 billion (2001 est.) Major exports: machinery; plastics; synthetic fibers Military expenditures: US$8.04 billion (2001)
By 1811 two million Han people, China's majority group, lived in Taiwan. The area they cultivated continued to grow. During the 1860's Taiwan opened harbors and began to trade officially with other countries. Foreign influence entered the islands. In 1874 Japan invaded Taiwan, but the Ching Dynasty defeated Japan's forces. The invasion persuaded China to strengthen the island's coastal defenses. Taiwan became more important in China's eyes, and in 1885 the Ching Dynasty made Taiwan a province of China. The dynasty modernized Taiwan, making it a model province.
The Chinese people and government considered Taiwan a fertile and rich province. Because Taiwan also controlled access to seven of China's coastal provinces, China promoted rapid development in Taiwan. China built three major roads in south, north, and central Taiwan. On the plains the roads were ten feet wide. In the mountains the roads were narrower, but never less than six feet wide. Along the roads the government built forts that housed soldiers and served as agricultural centers.
China also established schools for the mountain people, the Kaoshan, and improved their living standards. The Kaoshan had not developed a written language for their dialect, so the language of instruction was Chinese.
Until this time China had restricted the flow of mainland residents to Taiwan. Now it began to promote migration by providing free boat transportation, as well as farming equipment, cattle, and seeds. Agricultural production increased, especially rice, tea, and coffee production. As Taiwan's population grew, China divided its four counties into eight counties.
New machinery allowed the development of large-scale coal mining in the north. Taiwan also had smaller mines for copper and gold. Shipping increased, with new steamships coming and going between Taiwan and Fuchien province. When China began developing its navy, it made Taiwan its major southern naval base.
In 1884 France sent its navy to invade Taiwan. The Ching Dynasty sent Liu Ming Chuan, an official in Fuchien, to lead the re-
Sistance. He defeated the French and stayed in Taiwan as the governor for six years. During that period he completed many building projects and reorganized the provincial government into eleven counties. He created the foundation for modern Taiwan.
The government set aside land for the Kaoshans and did not permit soldiers to go there. The government built schools, and in Taipei it established a free boarding school that taught basic mathematics, Chinese, the Kaoshan dialect, and etiquette. All development funds had come from China rather than Taiwan. Liu Ming Chuan began to tax commerce and industry to raise money for improvements, such as roads, schools, agriculture, and new industry.
During this period the government began constructing a railroad running from north to south. The section from Chilung to Taipei was completed in 1891. The section from Taipei to Hsinchu was completed in 1893. The government bought additional steamships, and these carried trading goods as far as Southeast Asia. Wires were strung to carry electricity from north to south and across the strait to Fuchien province.
The government promoted the planting of tea, sugarcane, cotton, and mulberry trees, whose leaves were valuable as food for silkworms. It also strengthened Taiwan's irrigation program.
The government created schools to prepare people for jobs in the new economy. Subjects taught included foreign languages, business, political science, and law.
World History
