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The Republic of China (中華民國, pinyin Zhōnghuá mínguó) was the government that administered Mainland China from 1911 to 1949 until it was defeated by the Chinese Communist Party and has administered Taiwan and several small islands from 1945 until the present.

Pre-Establishment

The Republic of China developed out of an uprising against the Qing Dynasty which began at Wuchang on October 10, 1911. This date is celebrated in Taiwan as Double Tenth Day. The uprising is now called Wuchang Uprising. Emboldened by the lack of response against this uprising, provincial assemblies began to secede forcing the last emperor to abdicate.

Early Republic

The Republic of China was declared on January 1, 1912. Last Qing emperor Puyi abdicates on February 12, 1912. In August 1912, Sung Chiao-jen formed the Kuomintang. A parliamentary elections was held in February 1913. The opposing parties were Yuan Shikai's followers and Sung Chiao-jen's Kuomintang. After a landslide victory by Kuomintang, Yuan Shikai had Sung Chiao-jen assassinated. Hatred toward Yuan grew, but numerous rebellions were crushed by Yuan. Sun Yat-sen fled to Japan for his own safety. The parliment officially elected Yuan Shikai the president of Republic of China in October 1913. Yuan's government was diplomatically recognized by most of the nations. To induce this recognition, Yuan gave Outer Mongolia and Tannu Tuva to Russia and Tibet to British Empire. Soon after Yuan dissolved the parliament and reinstated monarchy. Many provinces declared independence and became warlord states. Yuan Shikai died of natural causes in 1916 ending the brief monarchy.

Warlord Era

The initial high hopes for the Republic were quickly undermined as the Republic was divided among military warlords.

During World War I, Japan, fighting on the allied side, seized Germany's sphere of influence in Shandong province. Through secret diplomatic channels, the Beijing warlord government agreed to let Japan keep Shandong. The public did not know about agreement until the announcement of Treaty of Versailles at end of World War I. This act, which most Chinese have regarded as traitorous, provoked major demonstrations in Beijing on May 4, 1919 and started what became known as the May Fourth Movement.

Sun Yat-sen gain control of Guangdong province with help of southern warlords in 1917. Sun reestablished Kuomintang in October 1919.

(Things to add about Warlord Era)

• Chinese Communist Party
• Soviet support of CCP and KMT
• Soviet training
• Death of Sun and rise of Chiang Kai-shek
• List major warlords

Civil War

See Chinese Civil War

The Republic of China on Taiwan

In 1949, Chiang Kai-shek evacuated the government of the Republic of China to Taiwan, which had been returned from Japan in 1945, and declared Taipei as the temporary capital of China. Because of the Cold War, until the 1970s, the Republic of China was recognized as the sole legitimate government of both Mainland China and Taiwan by the United Nations and most Western nations. The 1970s saw a switch in diplomatic recognitions from the ROC to the People's Republic of China. In 1991, the ROC officially stated that it would not challenge the rule of the Communist Party on the Mainland, but it has not officially renounced its right to rule Mainland China and Outer Mongolia. Such a declaration would be opposed by supporters of Chinese reunification on Taiwan and may ironically be interpreted as a declaration of independence upon which the Mainland may take military action. As of 2002, the government of Taiwan which is controlled by the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party has been very careful in its statements and has taken a policy of ambiguity. However, the DPP has accepted the symbols of the Republic of China in official occasions such as the flag, the name, the holidays, and the pictures of Sun Yat-Sen.

As of 2002, the Republic of China continues to be officially recognized by 27 nations, mostly small countries in Central America and Africa but also including the Holy See. 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 on Taiwan. In practice, most major nations maintain unofficial semi-diplomatic relations with Taiwan and the statement which is required by the PRC is couched in extremely carefully worded ambiguity.

Until the mid-1990s, supporters of Taiwan independence opposed the Republic of China and supported the creation of an independent Republic of Taiwan. Since the mid-1990s, a compromise has been reached between most supporters of Taiwan independence and Chinese reunification on Taiwan to support the continuation of the Republic of China but as a government that administers only Taiwan. The Taiwan Solidarity Union which is the smaller party within the pan-Green coalition opposes this compromise.

Although the Democratic Progressive Party displays the symbols of the ROC in official governmental contexts, the symbols of the ROC are almost never seen in party political contexts. By contrast, supporters of the pan-blue coalition will display the symbols of ROC, such as flags and national songs, in party political rallies.

See also: President of the Republic of China, Min-guo

Compare to: People's Republic of China

External link

Government Information Office