While Taiwan is certainly an economic force, considered one of the “Four Asian Tigers”, it simply cannot compare to the massive industrial and commercial power of Mainland China, with its more than 1.3 billion people. This was most notable in 1971, when the United Nations officially recognized and welcomed the PRC as a member. Over time, the PRC became more established in the international community, and allegiance to Taipei (the new capital of Taiwan) eventually shifted back towards Beijing. However, it became more and more clear that the PRC was going to retain control of Mainland China. Initially, most democratic countries continued their support of the ROC, now isolated on Taiwan. Therefore, when Mao’s army took control of China in 1949, it was a terrifying time for capitalists and democracy-lovers in the West. Decades-long campaigns and Cold Wars have been fought based on the attempt to disavow and stop the spread of communism. Throughout much of the 20th century, Communism has loomed as a terrifying specter of death and destruction (at least from the perspective of the United States). However, in modern times, the ROC’s desire for Taiwan to be acknowledged by the rest of the world as an independent nation is more complicated than you might think, and once again, requires a bit of history. From aborigines and Chinese settlers to Dutch colonists and Japanese conquerors, Taiwan had changed hands many times. Its closeness to Mainland China has made it an important trading hub and transportation capital, and it has been owned or controlled by a number of different nations in the last millennium. Under the strict martial law rule of Chiang Kai-shek, Taiwan had become an independent entity, the last bastion of the ROC.Īlthough many people look at Taiwan (Chinese Taipei) as a relatively modern outcome of the Communist victory in 1949, Taiwan has actually been inhabited for tens of thousands of years, and has been a critical point throughout history. This 14,000-square mile island was in the control of the ROC, but after the Communists chased the Nationalist Party out of Mainland China, they retreated to Taiwan. Previously known as Formosa, Taiwan is an island nation roughly 100 miles off the eastern coast of China. However, 4 years earlier, in 1945, that same Kuomintang had taken control of Taiwan back from the Japanese after the end of World War II. The Kuomintang had led the Republic of China (ROC), but they had been ousted by the Communists, who eventually established the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The Kuomintang (the Nationalist Party of China) had been in power for roughly 40 years, but the Communist army led by Mao Zedong, overthrew this government before the midpoint of the century during a brutal and bloody civil war. The history of China is fraught with empires, eras, rebellions and political shifting, and back in 1949, the latest upheaval took place. The 20th century has been a tumultuous time in Chinese history, and while the nation has been around for more than 3,500 years, the past 70 years has been particularly intriguing.
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the name, we’ll need to have a short history lesson about China. So, if you were wondering where the heck Chinese Taipei was on a map while watching Hsu Shu-ching win the women’s weightlifting gold for that country, perhaps this article will help. This can be quite confusing, particularly for people who don’t understand the fragile history of the conflict between these two nations. More specifically, in the Olympics and other international events, Taiwan is referred to as “Chinese Taipei”. One of the most interesting and delicate examples of this relates to Mainland China and Taiwan. However, bringing all the world’s greatest athletes to the same place and having them compete also brings an element of patriotism and politics into the mix, which needs to be handled with a great deal of diplomacy and tact. While watching the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, it was easy to get carried away with the glitz, glamor and excitement of the world preeminent sporting event. This allows both nations to participate without issue, and maintain a level of neutrality. The conflict between Mainland China and Taiwan is a delicate one, and in order to maintain peace between the two nations, Taiwan is referred to as Chinese Taipei in international events.
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