why Taiwan used to be called Formosa?
534981
Taiwan's modern history goes back about 400 years, to the day when the first Western ship passed by the island, and Jan Huygen van Linschoten, a Dutch navigator on a Portugese ship, exclaimed "Ilha Formosa" (Beautiful Island).
1153965
Officially it is Beijing.Peking is the name of the city romanized in Postal System Pinyin, and the traditional customary name for Beijing in English. The term originated with French missionaries four hundred years ago, and corresponds to an older pronunciation predating a subsequent sound change in Mandarin from [kʲ] to [tɕ]. ([tɕ] is represented in pinyin as j, as in Beijing.)\n\nIn China, the city has had many names. Between 1928 [1] and 1949, it was known as Beiping (北平; Pinyin: Beiping; Wade-Giles: Pei-p'ing), literally "Northern Peace". \n\nThe Communist Party of China reverted the name to Beijing (Peking) in 1949 again in part to emphasize that Beijing had returned to its role as China's capital. The government of the Republic of China on Taiwan has never formally recognized the name change, and during the 1950s and 1960s it was common in Taiwan for Beijing to be called Peiping to imply the illegitimacy of the PRC. Today, almost all of Taiwan, including the ROC government, uses Beijing, although some maps of China from Taiwan still use the old name along with pre-1949 political boundaries.
520474
My 2 cents: China is growing by leaps and bounds both militarily and financially. It will only be a matter of time before Taiwan sees the benefits of integrating with China. \n\nHowever, if talks go on now for reunification, Taiwan will retain a lot of the bargaining power and can state the terms of reunification. If the time comes when China surpasses Taiwan both in technology and finance, what bargaining power will Taiwan retain?\n\nAt present, the Taiwanese are already investing very heavily in China. There are some 500,000 taiwanese living in Shanghai at the moment. \n\nThis is a face issue....as long as Taiwan does not declare independence, the Chinese will have no cause to attack it. if foreign powers carved out pieces of your country in the past and wants to do it again, would your country stand by and watch without doing anything?
18206
To the Taiwanese, a country.  To mainland China, part of China.\n\nDon't think the U.S. will let China try and take it back, however.
40413
taiwan is an idependant country however china refuses this and still believes taiwan is part of china
906924
Over the years I have read many accounts where people state that the "Republic of China on Taiwan" is a government in exile.  I have yet to see the definitive explanation of why that is the truth, but I am very much interested in all related details. \n\nFor this Yahoo question, I did a Google Blogsearch using the keywords of "Taiwan US territory"  and then I looked at the Comments posted by visitors to the websites.  The site of http://www.taiwankey.net/dc/tforumtw.htm is mentioned in several Blogs, and indeed that site has full information on this new lawsuit.  There are numerous links to background information (including US Supreme Court decisions regarding "overseas territories") which have relevance to the Taiwan status question as well.  \n\nA link to the court documents (16 pages in PDF format) is also there.\n\nSo .... it appears that the truth is out, and this truth has finally reached the US federal court system -- Taiwan is an overseas territory of the USA.
693693
China! Japan jointly dev missle defense w/ US, opened embassy in Taiwan, working on treaty to deploy combat forces alongside US in defense of Taiwan. Taiwan just dropped reunification cmte to huge PRC protest. Much more. Recall our lost navy spy plane/crew, Japan just chased a PRC sub out of their waters, PRC def buildup, ROC buyingg subs w/ US foreign aide. Cold war is started & the navy trains for a hot one.
125799
Absolutely. The US has already come to the aid of Taiwan when mainland China was threatening Taiwan. In the mid 1990s, China was test firing missiles over Taiwan. The US sent a large naval presence to the area to encourage China to stop firing the missiles over Taiwan ("The Taiwan Strait Crisis").\n\nTraditionally, the US has had a "hands off" policy toward Taiwan. While the US would supply Taiwan with defensive weapons, advisors and soldiers were barred by policy from visiting the country. Since Bush has take office, however, the US is stepping up its presence in Taiwan. Americans are lecturing the Taiwanese military in the classroom and training them in the field.\n\nLastly - and the most compelling reason the US would come to Taiwan's aid - the US is "required by law to provide for Taiwan's defense" under the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979. Part of the act requires the US to "provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive character" and "maintain the capacity of the United States to resist any resort to force or other forms of coercion that would jeopardize the security, or the social or economic system, of the people on Taiwan."\n\nSeveral factors make the Act more relevant today than when it was passed in 1979. In 1979, Taiwan was not the economic powerhouse it is today - neither was mainland China. In 1979, Taiwan had a relatively weak military - as did China. Today, they are relatively strong militarily - as is China. In 1979, Taiwan was not a democracy - it is now. And the US will defend a democratic government against any Communist invasion.\n\nWill the US come to Taiwan's aid in case of invasion by mainland China? Absolutely.
481552
Most likely what you are referring to was the exile of Chaing Kai-Shek's Nationalist forces to Formosa after fighting the communists under Mao, around 1947-1949.  You'd have to say that Chaing Kai-shek was the man who lost China.
766592
In Taiwan they speak Mandarin, the most commonly spoken first language in the world. The advantage for the Taiwanese is that they have been in potentially a good position to exploit China's opening up - better perhaps than their cousins in Hong Kong most of whom speak Cantonese. But the political status of Taiwan and its independence from the PRC does mean that they are treated with suspicion by some who remember Chang Ki Shek. If there can be a resolution of the political impasse (perhaps along the lines of the Hong Kong "One country two systems model) then the prospects for the Taiwanese are bright.
1152244
As a matter of fact,taiwan is always be a part of China from long\nlong ago.\nthat's no doult.
722445
The reason why there are so many (out) gays & lesbians in Taiwan, is most probably due to its belief in equal rights.\n\nTaiwan is far ahead of other Asian countries in terms of gay rights. It is the first country in Asia to legalise gay marriage, and even the government expresses its support for gay pride parades.\n\nSuch an environment would mean that it's easier for gays & lesbians to express their sexuality, and therefore you would get the feeling that there's more of them around - compared to other countries.
662074
Taiwan is not an independent country (at least not yet).  It is part of China but it's location is not in mainland China. Just because it is not in the mainland, it doesn't mean it is independent. Even though Taiwan is part of China,they have different government. This is what happens in Hong Kong now.  Hong Kong went back to China in 1997 but Hong Kong has its own government and not under to one from mainland China.  This situation is called one country, two ruling system.
216303
Taiwan and Vatican City. As the source says, that depends on whether or not you consider Taiwan a country.
238081
The sovereinty of Taiwan belongs to its 23 million citizens, just as in any open, modern, demcratic society. China does not control any aspect of life for the people of Taiwan, except in the fantasies of its leaders.\n\nI participated in a large march through Taipei yesterday, along with 170,000 other Taiwanese protesting China's threat to invade Taiwan if the democratically-elected government of Taiwan refuses to voluntarily surrender to the one-party authoritarian PRC government of China. The demo yesterday was called to mark the first anniversary of the passgae of China's so-called "anti-secession" law, which "authorized" the use of military force against Taiwan if China doesn't get its way. \n\nI hope that China's leaders are paying attention, and taking notice of how much Taiwanese enjoy demonstrating and protesting, and how serious they are about making sure their liberties are never taken away from them.\n\nYesterday's demo was the so-called pan-greens (the ruling DPP and the even more pro-independence Taiwan Solidarity Party). Last week, the KMT (the pro-China opposition party) held a big demo.\n\nCan you imagine what would happen if 170,000 people marched together through the streets of Beijing? I can. Communist party leaders would call in the army to massacre the people as in 1989. Yesterday in Taiepei, not one demonstrator was hurt or arrested. Is it really so hard to understand why Taiwanese are opposed to being annexed by the repressive regime of a foreign country? \n\nI think some of the Chinese who post anti-Taiwan comments are people who deep-down would dearly love to enjoy the same liberties enjoyed today by Taiwanese, and the fact that they don't makes them bitter and jealous. They would rather see Taiwanese society brought down to the same level of misery as in China, than to see the society of Taiwan continue to develop in the direction of a modern democracy and open civil society. Instead of feeling bitter and jealous, try to see Taiwan as an example to follow. I think Communism teaches people that it's more fair for everybody to be poor and miserable, than for only some people to be poor. Maybe that same sort of philosophy is at work here- Chinese won't be happy until social development in Taiwan is reversed to the state of things in China.\n\nAm I wrong?\n\nP.S.\nThe 170,000 people in the march WEREN'T misguided youth. The interesting thing about demonstrations in Taiwan is that the vast majority of the people are in their 50s, 60s and 70s. Very different from N. America and Europe. I also saw old people who were obviously a lot older than that.
504525
China.  They have an ongoing problem with Japan, and they could invade Taiwan.  This would be a BIG problem.
144238
Ok I wouldn't pay attention to the first answer if I were you.  "Acts of treason"???  I think your teacher would ask you to explain "WHAT acts of treason?"\n\nMany people living in Taiwan have ancestral roots in China.  However, Taiwan has its own government, own land, own flag, own culture, etc.  The people of Taiwan would like to define themselves as their own country.  They like their country the way it is and don't want another government "taking over" their land and their way of life.\n\nChina's view is that the majority of Taiwanese are originally from China, so Taiwan should be a part of China.  This is advantageous to China for imperialistic and economic reasons.  Having control of more land and people makes them a more powerful country, and the added benefit for them is that Taiwan is one of the more economically prosperous Asian countries.\n\nNow, the assignment also asks to explain the relationship?  In one word, "tense".  Part of it has to do with the 228 (February 28) massacres, when rising tensions resulted in the Chinese military killing many Taiwanese, targeting especially the educated (professors & students) since those were the main people organizing protests against the Chinese.  As you can expect, there is much resentment from the Taiwanese who survived the massacres.\n\nAdding to the tension were recent war games that China played around Taiwan's coast.  Taiwan's presidential elections were coming up, and China feared that Taiwan would elect someone they didn't like, so they sent war ships to circle Taiwan's coast in an attempt to scare the Taiwanese into voting for someone else.  It didn't work.  The US stepped in to tell China to stop threatening Taiwan, and the Taiwanese elected their president.\n\nThis should get you started on your paper.  You'll have to fill in the details doing your own research.  Be careful of the sources you use, because this is an issue that many Chinese and Taiwanese are passionate about, so you'll come across strongly-worded essays that may be misleading.  It can be confusing but I think your teacher just wants you to show that you have some idea of what's going on in that part of the world.  Good luck.