Introduction to Taiwan

1. Introduction to Taiwan Source: http://www.gio.gov.tw/taiwan-website/5-gp/yearbook/home.html

2. Geography At a Glance • More than 200 mountain peaks loom higher than 3,000 meters above sea level • Teeming with life—a kingdom of abundant animal and plant species • Volcanic islands sport thermal springs and colorful coral scenery • The Republic of China (ROC), commonly known throughout the world as Taiwan, is an oceanic nation of 23 million people with a combined area of approximately 36,000 sq. km (13,900 sq. miles), making it slightly smaller than the Netherlands. It comprises the main island of Taiwan, the archipelagoes of Penghu (the Pescadores), Kinmen (Quemoy), and Matsu, and a number of other islands.

3. People and Language At a Glance • Taiwan’s 14th indigenous group officially recognized • Changing population trends • A multilingual land

4. People and Language • In 2007, the population of the Republic of China (ROC) was 22.958 million. Han Chinese made up the vast majority of people—98 percent—and the remaining minority were composed of Austronesian indigenous groups. The Han majority are descendant from successive waves of immigrants belonging to different subgroups that started arriving in Taiwan in large numbers in the 17th century. Indigenous groups have been living on the island for millennia, according to archeological evidence dating back at least 15,000 years, and may have arrived from southern China and Austroneasia. In recent years, an increasing number of marriages between ROC citizens and immigrants—mostly from Southeast Asia—has further diversified the nation’s ethnic makeup.

5. People and Language • For its size, Taiwan is an unusually multilingual society. Mandarin, the official language, is almost universally used and understood, while significant proportions of the population speak languages of different Han sub-groups, mainly Holo and Hakka. In addition, each of Taiwan’s officially recognized 14 indigenous groups has its own language. Many elderly people are able to speak Japanese, a vestige of Japan’s colonial rule of the island (1895-1945).

6. History At a Glance • The development of the Republic of China • Overview of Taiwan’s history • Recent developments • The Republic of China (ROC) has been transformed many times since its founding in 1912. “Revolution,” “rebellion,” and “reform” characterize the three stages of the nation’s development. Having effected a relocation from the Asian continent in 1949 to Taiwan, the ROC has matured into a free-market, multiparty democracy and is now the home of 23 million well-traveled, well-educated, and industrious people.

7. Cross-strait Relations At a Glance • Cross-strait talks resume • Cross-strait weekend charter flights begin • The ROC is opened to more tourists from the mainland

8. Cross-strait Relations • The government of the Republic of China (ROC) relocated to Taiwan in 1949 when the Kuomintang (KMT) was defeated in the Chinese Civil War. Since then, the two sides of the Taiwan Strait have been ruled by two different governments. Over the past half-century, the ROC has transformed into a thriving democracy and boasts an industrialized economy, while the authoritarian Beijing regime is a rising economic and military power. As Beijing has yet to renounce the use of force against the ROC, the Taiwan Strait remains a major focus of attention with regard to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

9. Economy At a Glance • Favorable economic indicators in 2007 • Financial sector reforms and adjustments • Facilitating loans for small and medium-sized businesses • New focus on cross-strait economic relations • i-Taiwan 12 Projects

10. Economy • The year 2007 and the first half of 2008 saw soaring prices for petroleum, food staples, and other commodities as well as strains in the global financial system in the wake of the subprime mortgage crisis that erupted in the United States in 2007 and sent banks there and elsewhere reeling. The ROC economy, however, made it through 2007 with less than 2 percent inflation and a local financial sector virtually unaffected by the subprime crisis, demonstrating its strong fundamentals. Although ongoing commodity price rises and signs of weakness in the US and EU economies in the first two quarters of 2008 put pressure on pocketbooks and sparked a large downturn in local stock prices, the ROC is well-positioned to minimize the impact from worsening global conditions.

11. Science and Technology At a Glance • Taiwan’s shining stars: the science parks • Advances in nano- and biotechnology

12. Science and Technology • Science and technology (S&T) are at the heart of Taiwan’s progress and economic rise. From semiconductors to solar cells, Taiwan is a world leader in designing and producing high-tech products. Home to a number of science parks, Taiwan leads the world in applying research and making high-tech products that are used worldwide. Seeking to maintain the nation’s edge, Taiwan’s public and private sectors have increasingly been focusing on precision machinery, medicine, and alternative energy.

13. Education • Both culturally and constitutionally, education enjoys a place of honor in the Republic of China (ROC). Primary and junior high school education is guaranteed by law to all citizens, and tertiary education needs are serviced by high-quality universities and colleges. Local students often take the opportunity to study abroad, and foreign students are welcomed. Diversified and challenging educational environment has meant a highly skilled and able work force, gifted entrepreneurs, and savvy businesspeople for the nation.

14. Education • The past few years have seen significant improvement in Taiwan’s educational system. For example, admission tests have been replaced with new multi-channel admission systems, class sizes have been reduced, and students have been offered a greater number of choices and more opportunities for elective classes. Civic reform groups have also called on the government to make it easier to establish private educational institutions below the university level. Such reforms have been geared toward liberalizing the education system and making Taiwan’s industrious students even more competitive.

15. Religion • At a Glance • One of the most religiously plural and tolerant societies in the world • Taiwan’s most influential Buddhist teachers • The two feminine deities of the people—Guan Yin and Ma Zu

16. Religion • The past two decades, since democratization went into high gear, have witnessed a lively development of Taiwan’s religious communities. This is manifested in their expansion of educational activities and institutions dedicated to the betterment of life in Taiwan and abroad. It can also be seen in the increasing number of people striving to go beyond traditional observances to attain a deeper understanding of the philosophical foundations of religions and put them to work in their lives.

17. Religion • The people of Taiwan enjoy complete freedom of religion, a right guaranteed by the Constitution and a fact confirmed by numerous outside observers, including the US Department of State in its annual International Religious Freedom Report. Moreover, Taiwan today has one of the most harmoniously religious societies in the world.