Republic of China

The Republic of China (Traditional Chinese: ????; Simplified Chinese: ????; Wade-Giles: Chung¹-hua² Min²-kuo², Tongyong Pinyin: JhongHuá MínGuó, Hanyu Pinyin: Zh?nghuá Mínguó, Taiwanese POJ: Tiong-hoâ Bîn-kok) is a multiparty democratic state that today is composed of the island groups of Taiwan, the Pescadores, Quemoy, and Matsu. In English, as in Chinese, the name "Taiwan" is often used synonymously with the modern Republic of China, while the term "China" usually refers to the People's Republic of China (PRC), or mainland China with or without Hong Kong and Macau.

Government and Politics

Main article: politics of Republican China

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Republican China, 1911-1949

The original founding of the Republic centered on the Three Principles of the People (san min zhuyi): nationalism, democracy, and people's livelihood. Nationalism meant standing up to Japanese and European interference, democracy meant elected rule modeled after Japan's parliament, and people's livelihood or socialism, meant government regulation of the means of production. Another lesser known principle that the Republic was founded upon was "five races under one union" (????), which emphasized the harmony of the five major ethnic groups in China as represented by the colored stripes of the original Five-Colored Flag of the Republic. This five races under one union principle and the corresponding flag were abandoned in 1927, however.

Related Topics:
Three Principles of the People - Five races under one union - Five-Colored Flag of the Republic

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In reality, however, these three principles were left unrealized. Republican China was marked by warlordism, foreign invasion, and civil war. Although there were elected legislators, from its inception, it was actually a dictatorship with suppression of dissent, first of the KMT and later of the Communists. As the central government was quite weak, little could be done in terms of land reform or redistribution of wealth either. Politics of this era consisted primarily of the political and military struggle between the KMT and the CCP, inbetween bouts of resistance against Japanese invasion.

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Republic of China on Taiwan, 1949-Present

Main article: politics of the Republic of China

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The constitution of the Republic of China was drafted before the fall of mainland China to the Communists and was created for the purpose of forming a coalition government between the Nationalists and the Communists for rule of all of China, including Taiwan. However, the CCP boycotted the National Assembly, and it is also worth noting, that the Taiwanese representatives were not elected. The constitution went into effect December 25, 1947.

Related Topics:
December 25 - 1947

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Because Taiwan remained under martial law from 1948 until 1987, much of the constitution was not in effect. Since the lifting of martial law, the Republic of China has undergone a drastic process of democratisation and reform, removing legacy components that were originally meant for the governing of mainland China. Many legacy components that still remain are nonfunctional. This process of amendment continues today as the government continues to reform itself. In May of 2005, a new national assembly was elected to reduce the number of parliamentary seats and implement several constitutional reforms. These reforms have since been passed, with the national assembly essentially voting to abolish itself and transferring the power of constitutional reform to the popular ballot.{{ref|reform2005}}

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Political status and the major camps

One key issue has been the political status of Taiwan itself. With the diplomatic isolation brought about in the 1970s and 1980s, the notion of "recovering the mainland" by force has been dropped and the Taiwanese localization movement stengthened. The relationship with the People's Republic of China and the related issues of Taiwan independence and Chinese reunification continue to dominate Taiwanese politics.

Related Topics:
Political status of Taiwan - Taiwanese localization movement - People's Republic of China - Taiwan independence - Chinese reunification

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The political scene in the ROC is divided into two camps, with the pro-unification and center-right KMT, People First Party (PFP), and New Party forming the Pan-Blue Coalition, and the pro-independence and center-left Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and centrist Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) forming the Pan-Green Coalition.

Related Topics:
People First Party - New Party - Pan-Blue Coalition - Democratic Progressive Party - Taiwan Solidarity Union - Pan-Green Coalition

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Supporters of the Pan-Green camp tend to favor emphasisizing Taiwan as being distinct from China. Many Pan-Green supporters seek Taiwanese independence and for dropping the title of the Republic of China. However, more progressive members of the coalition, such as current President Chen Shui-bian, claim that it is unnecessary to proclaim independence because Taiwan is already "an independent, sovereign country" and that the Republic of China is the same as Taiwan. Some members take a much more extreme view about Taiwan's status, claiming that the ROC is nonexistent and calling for the establishment of an independent Republic of Taiwan. Supporters of this idea have even gone as far as issuing passports for their republic.

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While the Pan-Green camp favors Taiwan having an identity separate from that of China, Pan-Blue members seem to be strongly supportive of the concept of the Republic of China, which remains an important symbol of their links with China. Pan-Blue views reunification as something that will happen eventually, but until then the current status quo is preferable to declaring independence. During his visit to mainland China in April 2005, KMT Party Chairman Lien Chan reiterated his party's belief in the "One China" policy that states that there is only one China controlled by two governments and that Taiwan is a part of China. PFP Party Chair James Soong expressed the same sentiments during his visit in May.

Related Topics:
Visit to mainland China in April 2005 - Lien Chan - James Soong

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For its part, the PRC has indicated that it finds a Republic of China far more acceptable than an independent Taiwan, and ironically, though it views the ROC as an illegitimate entity, it has made it clear that any effort on Taiwan to formally abolish the ROC or formally renounce its claim over the Mainland would result in a strong and possibly military reaction.

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Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of the Republic of China

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The Republic of China on the Mainland was recognized internationally throughout most of its rule as the legitimate government of China, despite ups and downs in its actual governance, as it struggled with warlordism and the civil war with the CCP.

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Today, the Republic of China on Taiwan continues to be officially recognized by 26 nations, mostly small countries in Central America and Africa but also including the Holy See of the Catholic Church. The People's Republic of China has a policy of not having diplomatic relations with any nation which recognizes the Republic of China and insists that all nations with which it has diplomatic relations make a statement which recognizes its claims to Taiwan. In practice, however, most major nations maintain unofficial diplomatic relations with Taiwan and the statement which is required by the PRC is couched in extremely carefully worded ambiguity. In some major nations who do not recognize it, the ROC has representative offices called the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office or the "Taipei Representative Office" for short, that take on the functions that an official embassy would normally have, such as issuing visas. Likewise, many nations maintain counterpart trade and economic offices in the ROC, such as the American Institute in Taiwan, which is the de facto embassy of the United States in the ROC.

Related Topics:
Holy See - Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office - American Institute in Taiwan - De facto

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The Republic of China was in the United Nations as one of its founding members and held China's seat on the Security Council until 1971, when it was expelled by General Assembly Resolution 2758 and replaced in all UN organs with the government of the People's Republic of China. Multiple attempts by the Republic of China to re-join the UN have not made it past committee. (See China and the United Nations)

Related Topics:
United Nations - Security Council - 1971 - People's Republic of China - China and the United Nations

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Besides the dispute with the PRC over the mainland, the ROC also has a controversial relationship with Mongolia. Until 1945, the ROC claimed jurisdiction over Mongolia, but under Soviet pressure, it recognized Mongolian independence. Shortly thereafter, it repudiated this recognition and continued to claim jurisdiction over Mongolia until recently. Since the late 1990s, the relationship with Mongolia has become a controversial topic. Any move to renounce sovereignty over Mongolia is controversial because the PRC claims that it is a prelude to Taiwan independence.

Related Topics:
Mongolia - 1945 - Mongolia - 1990s - Taiwan independence

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National political structure

The head of state is the president, who is elected by popular vote for a four-year term on the same ticket as the vice-president. The president has authority over the five administrative branches (Yuan): the Executive Yuan, Legislative Yuan, Control Yuan, Judicial Yuan, and Examination Yuan. The president appoints the members of the Executive Yuan as his cabinet, including a premier who is officially the President of the Executive Yuan; members are responsible for policy and administration.

Related Topics:
Head of state - President - Executive Yuan - Legislative Yuan - Control Yuan - Judicial Yuan - Examination Yuan - Premier

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The main legislative body is the unicameral Legislative Yuan with 225 seats, of which 168 are elected by popular vote. Of the remainder, 41 are elected on the basis of the proportion of nationwide votes received by participating political parties, eight are elected from overseas Chinese constituencies on the same principle, as are the eight seats for the aboriginal populations; members serve three-year terms. Originally the unicameral National Assembly, as a standing constitutional convention and electoral college, held some parliamentary functions, but the National Assembly was abolished in 2005 with the power of constitutional amendments handed over to the Legislative Yuan and all eligible voters of the Republic.

Related Topics:
Legislative - Unicameral - Parliament

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See also: Constitution of the Republic of China

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Local political divisions

Main article: Political divisions of the Republic of China

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The political organization of the Republic of China was originally based on a constitution written in 1947 in mainland China, just before the fall of the ROC to the Communists. Therefore, the primary division under the national government is between the actually governed Taiwan Province and Fuchien Province with nonfunctional provisions for all other province of China. However, to better reflect the realities of Taiwan, the two largest municipalities of Taiwan, Taipei and Kaohsiung were elevated as central municipalities, the same level as province under direct national oversight, and more recently, the functions of the Taiwan and Fukien provincial governments have been largely redistributed between the national government and county governments.

Related Topics:
Taipei - Kaohsiung - Central municipalities - Taiwan

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• Taiwan Province (all): the Taiwanese main island, except the two municipalities, plus Penghu county (Pescadores Islands)
• Sixteen counties
• Five provincially administrated cities
• Fukien Province (part): several islands off the Chinese mainland:
• Kinmen County (Quemoy)
• part of Lienchiang County, namely Matsu
• Two Municipalities
• Kaohsiung
• Taipei

The Republic of China also administers Dongsha Islands and Taiping Island, which are part of the disputed South China Sea Islands. Under the official ROC borders, they are part of Hainan Special Administrative Region.

Related Topics:
Dongsha Islands - Taiping Island - South China Sea Islands - Official ROC borders - Hainan

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Additionally, although the ROC has not officially renounced sovereignty over Mainland China (including Tibet), outer Mongolia, and Tuva, in 1991 it stated that it does not challenge the right of the People's Republic of China (PRC) to rule those areas, and it has made some statements that can also be interpreted as renouncing sovereignty over the Mainland. One reason the ROC has never officially dropped these claims is fear that the PRC would use such a move as a pretext for invasion, calling it a move towards Taiwan independence.

Related Topics:
Outer Mongolia - Tuva - Taiwan independence

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The DPP government under Chen Shui-bian has made moves to ignore such claims, including removing outer Mongolia from the ROC's official maps and the establishment of a representative office in Mongolia's capital, Ulan Bator. Official boundaries continue to show 35 provinces, instead of 23 shown on the maps from the PRC that reflect the PRC's actual political organization; however, the ruling DPP government has dropped regulations that require Taiwanese map makers to depict the official boundaries.

Related Topics:
Outer Mongolia - Mongolia's - Ulan Bator

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