Taiwan Strait

The Taiwan Strait or Formosa Strait is a 180km-wide Strait between mainland China and the island of Taiwan. The Strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to East China Sea to the northeast. The narrowest part is 131km wide. The Taiwan Strait is often incorrectly called the Taiwan Straits. Even high level government officials at the US State Department have made this mistake http://taiwanstrait.blogspot.com.

Related Topics:
Strait - Mainland China - Taiwan - South China Sea - East China Sea - US State Department

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Fujian province on the mainland is to the west of the strait, while important islands like Quemoy, Amoy, Hainan Island, and the Matsu Islands are nearby. To the east are the west coast of Taiwan and the Pescadores. The island fishermen use the strait as a fishing resource.

Related Topics:
Fujian - Quemoy - Amoy - Hainan Island - Matsu Islands - Pescadores

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The Strait has been the theatre for several military confrontations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China since the last days of the Chinese Civil War in 1949 when the Kuomintang forces led by Chiang Kai-shek retreated across the Strait and relocated its government on its final stronghold of Taiwan.

Related Topics:
People's Republic of China - Republic of China - Chinese Civil War - 1949 - Kuomintang - Chiang Kai-shek

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The Minjiang and Jiulong Rivers empty into the strait.

Related Topics:
Minjiang - Jiulong

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