The politics of the Republic of China (ROC) takes place in a framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President is head of state and the premier (President of the Executive Yuan) is head of government, and of a dominant party system. Politics Politics is the process by which groups of people make decisions REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES The semi-presidential system is a System of government in which a prime minister and a President are both active participants in the day-to-day administration Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principles of the people's representatives A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its The President of the Republic of China ( is the Head of state of the Republic of China (ROC (commonly known as Taiwan since the 1970s Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state The President of the Executive Yuan ( commonly known in English as the Premier of Taiwan ( is the head of the Executive Yuan, the Executive This article focuses on the cases where the Head of Government is a separate office from the Head of State Executive power is exercised by the government. In Political science and Constitutional law, the executive is the branch of government responsible for the day-to-day management of the State. Legislative power is vested in both the government and parliament. A legislature is a type of representative Deliberative assembly with the power to create amend and change Laws The law created by a legislature is called Legislation For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. The party system is dominated by the liberal, pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party and the conservative, pro-reunification Kuomintang (KMT). The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP ( Taiwanese: Bîn-chú-chìn-pō͘-tóng Traditional Chinese: zh-Hant 民主進步黨 Simplified Chinese: zh-Hans

The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. In Law, the judiciary or judicial system is the system of Courts which administer Justice in the name of the sovereign or State The Republic of China (ROC) currently has jurisdiction over Taiwan, Kinmen, Matsu, and the Pescadores Islands (Penghu) and several smaller islands. REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. Kinmen, ( Traditional Chinese: 金門 Simplified Chinese: 金门 Hanyu Pinyin: Jīnmén Tongyong Pinyin: Jinmén Wades-Giles The Matsu Islands (also Mazu Islands ( are a minor Archipelago of 19 Islands and islets in the Taiwan Strait administered as Lienchiang The Pescadores ( from Portuguese, "fishermen" pron pɨʃ Taiwan's two major cities, Taipei and Kaohsiung, are centrally administered municipalities. Taipei ( Taiwanese Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tâi-pak-chhī Jhuyin Fuhao: ㄊㄞˊ ㄅㄟˇ ㄕˋ Hakka: Thòi-pet-sṳ has been the capital of The rest of Taiwan and the Penghu Islands are administered together as the Province of Taiwan. History In 1683 following a naval engagement with Admiral Shi Lang, Koxinga 's (Cheng Ch'eng Kung grandson Zheng Keshuang and ruler of Taiwan Kinmen, Matsu, and smaller nearby islands are administered as counties of Fukien (Fujian) Province.

Overview

See also: Political status of Taiwan

The ROC is governed under the Constitution of the Republic of China which was drafted in 1947 before the fall of the Chinese mainland to communism and outlined a government for all of China. The controversy regarding the political status of Taiwan hinges on whether Taiwan, including the Pescadores (Penghu should remain effectively independent as territory The Constitution of the Republic of China ( Tongyong Pinyin: JhongHuá MínGuó SiànFǎ is the basic governing document for the Republic of China (ROC with jurisdiction Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction Significant amendments were made to the Constitution in 1991, and there have been a number of judicial interpretations made to take into account the fact that the Constitution covers a much smaller area than originally envisioned. Previously, the Kuomintang government in Taiwan governed as a one party state, and disallowed the formation of rival parties and many opponents.

Until 1991, the government in Taipei claimed to be the sole legitimate government of all of China, including the mainland, Tibet, and outer Mongolia. Taipei ( Taiwanese Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tâi-pak-chhī Jhuyin Fuhao: ㄊㄞˊ ㄅㄟˇ ㄕˋ Hakka: Thòi-pet-sṳ has been the capital of China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European Outer Mongolia (Ar Mongol Manchu: Tulergi Monggo) was the main part of the Bogdo Khanate of Mongolia which proclaimed its independence on 29 December 1911 In keeping with that claim, when the Nationalists (Kuomintang) fled to Taipei in 1949, they re-established the full array of central political bodies, which had existed on the mainland in the de jure capital of Nanking. ( Chinese: 南京 Romanizations Nánjīng ( Pinyin) Nan-ching ( Wade-Giles While much of this structure remains in place, the President Lee Teng-hui in 1991 unofficially abandoned the government's claim of sovereignty over mainland China, stating that they do not "dispute the fact that the Communists control mainland China. Lee Teng-hui ( POJ: Lí Teng-hui born 15 January 1923 is a Politician of Taiwan. Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction The Communist Party of China ( CPC) ( also known as the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP) is the founding and ruling political party of the " However, the National Assembly has not officially changed the national borders, as doing so may be seen as a prelude to formal Taiwan independence (the People's Republic of China has threatened to start a war if the government of Taiwan formalizes independence). The National Assembly of the Republic of China ( refers to several Parliamentary bodies that existed in the History of the Republic of China. Taiwan independence ( Pe̍h-oē-jī: Tâi-oân To̍k-li̍p ūn-tōng abbreviated to 台獨 Táidú Tâi-to̍k is a Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES It should be noted that neither the National Assembly nor the Supreme Court has actually defined what "existing national boundaries," as stated in the constitution, actually is. The latter refused to do so claiming that it is a "major political issue".

Political history

Main article: History of the Republic of China

Republican China, 1911-1949

The Presidential Building in Taipei. This article discusses history of the state which currently governs Taiwan Area. The Presidential Office Building ( houses the Office of the President of the Republic of China. This Presidential Building has housed the Office of the President of the Republic of China since 1950. It is located in the Zhongzheng District of Taipei. It formerly housed the Office of the Governor-General of Taiwan, during the period of Japanese rule. The position of Governor-General of Taiwan existed when Taiwan and the Pescadores were part of the Empire of Japan, from 1895 to 1945

The original founding of the Republic centered on the Three Principles of the People (san min zhuyi): nationalism, democracy, and people's livelihood. The Three Principles of the People, also Translated as Three People's Principles, or collectively San-min Doctrine, is a Political Philosophy 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" (五族共和), 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. The National Flag of the Republic of China ( is a well-known symbol of the Republic of China (ROC However, this five races under one union principle and the corresponding flag were abandoned in 1927.

In reality 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 largely one-party dictatorship apart from some minor parties,^[1] including the Chinese Youth Party,^[2] the National Socialist Party and the Rural Construction Party,^[3] with suppression of dissent within the KMT of the Communists. Suppression of dissent occurs when an individual or group which is more powerful than another tries to directly or indirectly censor, persecute or 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 CPC in between bouts of active military resistance against Japanese invasion.

Political structure

The first national government of the Chinese Republic was established on January 1, 1912, in Nanjing, with Sun Yat-sen as the provisional president. Provincial delegates were sent to confirm the authority of the national government, and they later also formed the first parliament. The power of this national government was both limited and short-lived, with generals controlling all of central and northern China. The limited acts passed by this government included the formal abdication of the Qing dynasty and some economic initiatives.

Shortly after the rise of Yuan, the parliament's authority became nominal; violations of the Constitution by Yuan were met with half-hearted motions of censure, and Kuomintang members of the parliament that gave up their membership to the KMT were offered 1,000 pounds. Yuan Shikai ( Courtesy Weiting 慰亭 Pseudonym: Rong'an 容庵 ( September 16, 1859 &ndash June 6, Yuan maintained power locally by sending military generals to be provincial governors or by obtaining the allegiance of those already in power. Foreign powers came to recognize Yuan's power as well: when Japan came to China with 21 demands, it was Yuan that submitted to them, on May 25, 1915. The were a set of demands made by the Empire of Japan under Prime Minister Ōkuma Shigenobu sent to the nominal government of the Republic of

With the death of Yuan, the parliament of 1913 was reconvened to give legitimacy to a new government. However, the real power of the time passed to military leaders, forming the warlord period. Still, the powerless government had its use--when World War I began, several Western powers and Japan wanted China to declare war on Germany, in order to liquidate the latter's holdings there.

From the beginning to the end of Republican China, political power was generally exercised through both legal and non-legal means. Yuan ruled as a dictator, remolding the constitution as he saw fit; warlords withdrew from the Republic, ruling through military control; and Chiang based his political power on military power. During this time, Chiang ruled more as a dictator than as a leader of a one-party state. He used white terror tactics and various military campaigns to destroy the CPC, and the police and military apparatus were freely used to attack dissenters. However, Chiang's influence never extended beyond the Yangtze Delta, and the rest of the country was under the effective control of former warlords, and Chiang faced insurrections from them throughout the 1930s, even after the Northern Expedition, which had nominally unified the country. The Northern Expedition ( was a military campaign led by the Kuomintang (KMT from 1926 to 1928. Regional political power remained strong throughout Republican China, and central authority deteriorated continuously until the Second Sino-Japanese War, to the point that Chiang became no more than the "head of a loose coalition," as observed by Albert Wedemeyer. Albert Coady Wedemeyer (July 9 1897 &ndash December 17 1989 was an American Soldier, who served primarily in World War II in Asia.

Republic of China on Taiwan, 1949-present

After the death of Chang Kai-shek (蔣介石) in 1975, Vice President Yen Chia-kan (嚴家淦) briefly took over from 1975 to 1978, according to the Constitution, but the actual power was in the hands of the Premier of the Executive Yuan (行政院), Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國), who was KMT chairman and a son of Chang Kai-shek. Chiang Kai-shek ( POJ: Chiúⁿ Kài-se̍k Jyutping: zoeng2gaai3sek6 GCB ( October 31, 1887 &ndash Yen Chia-kan ( POJ: Giâm Ka-kàm or Yen Chia-jin ( October 23, 1905 December 24, 1993) better known as C The Executive Yuan ( literally "Executive court" is the Executive branch of the Government of the Republic of China. Chiang Ching-kuo ( POJ: ChiúⁿKeng-kok ( April 27 1, 1910 – January 13, 1988) Kuomintang (KMT Politician During the presidency of Chiang Ching-kuo from 1978 to 1988, Taiwan's political system began to undergo gradual liberalization.

After the lifting of martial law, the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (民主進步黨) was formed and allowed to participate overtly in politics. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP ( Taiwanese: Bîn-chú-chìn-pō͘-tóng Traditional Chinese: zh-Hant 民主進步黨 Simplified Chinese: zh-Hans After Chiang Ching-kuo died in 1988, Vice President Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) succeeded him as the first Taiwan-born president and chairman of the KMT. Lee Teng-hui ( POJ: Lí Teng-hui born 15 January 1923 is a Politician of Taiwan. Lee became the first Taiwan president elected by popular vote in 1996, despite China's missile tests. The Third Taiwan Strait Crisis, also called the 1995-1996 Taiwan Strait Crisis or the 1996 Taiwan Strait Crisis, was the effect of a series of missile tests conducted

In 2000, Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was elected president, marking the first peaceful democratic transition of power to an opposition party in Taiwan history and a decisive end to the KMT's monopoly in administration of the central government. Chen Shui-bian ( born October 12, 1950) is a Taiwanese politician and former President of the Republic of China. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP ( Taiwanese: Bîn-chú-chìn-pō͘-tóng Traditional Chinese: zh-Hant 民主進步黨 Simplified Chinese: zh-Hans The Election for the 10th-term President and Vice-President of the Republic of China (第十任中華民國總統、副總統選舉 the second ever direct elections for President ^[4][5]

In the 2004 presidential election, the day after being shot while campaigning, Chen was reelected by a narrow margin of 0. The Election for the 11th-term President and Vice-President of the Republic of China (第十一任中華民國總統、副總統選舉 the third direct presidential election in Taiwan's The 2004 Chen Shui-bian assassination attempt, also known as the 3-19 shooting incident ( was an Assassination attempt on President Chen Shui-bian 2%. ^[6] The KMT filed lawsuits to demand a recount, alleged voting fraud and staged huge rallies to demand a new election. The courts ruled that the election was accurate and valid.

In both of Chen's terms, the DPP and the independence-leaning Pan-Green Coalition failed to secure a majority in the legislature, losing to the KMT and the pro-unification leaning Pan-Blue Coalition. Taiwan independence ( Pe̍h-oē-jī: Tâi-oân To̍k-li̍p ūn-tōng abbreviated to 台獨 Táidú Tâi-to̍k is a The Pan-Green Coalition ( or Pan-Green Camp, is currently an informal Political alliance in the Republic of China (Taiwan consisting of the The Legislative Yuan ( is the Legislative body of the Republic of China (ROC which administers Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and The Pan-Blue Coalition ( or Pan-Blue Force ( is a Political alliance in the Republic of China (Taiwan consisting of the Kuomintang This has led to many impasses; the president in the ROC system does not have the power of veto, so the legislature does not feel the need to negotiate with the executive branch. A veto, Latin for "I forbid" is used to Denote that a certain party has the right to stop unilaterally a certain piece of Legislation.

Political status and the major camps

One key issue has been the political status of Taiwan itself. The controversy regarding the political status of Taiwan hinges on whether Taiwan, including the Pescadores (Penghu should remain effectively independent as territory ^[7] 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 strengthened. Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction The relationship with the People's Republic of China and the related issues of Taiwan independence and Chinese reunification continue to dominate Taiwanese politics. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Taiwan independence ( Pe̍h-oē-jī: Tâi-oân To̍k-li̍p ūn-tōng abbreviated to 台獨 Táidú Tâi-to̍k is a There is also a specific Chinese reunification of 1928. Chinese reunification ( is a goal of Chinese nationalism that refers to

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 leftist Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) forming the Pan-Green Coalition. The People First Party (親民黨 Pinyin: Qīnmíndǎng is a Centre-right conservative Political party in the Republic of China The New Party (新黨 Xīn Dăng formerly the Chinese New Party (CNP 中華新黨 Zhōnghúa Xīn Dăng is a Centre-right Political party The Pan-Blue Coalition ( or Pan-Blue Force ( is a Political alliance in the Republic of China (Taiwan consisting of the Kuomintang The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP ( Taiwanese: Bîn-chú-chìn-pō͘-tóng Traditional Chinese: zh-Hant 民主進步黨 Simplified Chinese: zh-Hans The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU ( Traditional Chinese: 臺灣團結聯盟 Pinyin: Táiwān Tuánjié Liánméng is a Political party in the Republic The Pan-Green Coalition ( or Pan-Green Camp, is currently an informal Political alliance in the Republic of China (Taiwan consisting of the

Supporters of the Pan-Green camp tend to favor emphasizing the Republic of China as being a distinct country from the People's Republic of China. The Pan-Green Coalition ( or Pan-Green Camp, is currently an informal Political alliance in the Republic of China (Taiwan consisting of the REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Many Pan-Green supporters seek formal Taiwan 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, have moderated their views and 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". The Republic of Taiwan ( Pe̍h-oē-jī: Tâi-oân Kiōng-hô-kok) is a goal of supporters of Taiwan independence in creating a Taiwanese state unambiguously Supporters of this idea have even gone as far as issuing self-made "passports" for their republic. Attempts to use these "passports" however, have been stopped by officials at Chang Kai-shek International Airport.

While the Pan-Green camp favors Taiwan having an identity separate from that of China, some Pan-Blue members, especially former leaders from the older generation, seem to be strongly supportive of the concept of the Republic of China, which remains an important symbol of their links with China. During his visit to mainland China in April 2005, former 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. The 2005 Pan-Blue visits to mainland China, also known as the Third United Front of China (第三次國共合作 were a series of groundbreaking visits by delegations Lien Chan ( POJ: Liân Chùn (born August 27, 1936, in Xi'an China) is a Politician in Taiwan. PFP Party Chair James Soong expressed the same sentiments during his visit in May. James Chu-yu Soong ( born March 16, 1942) is a Politician in the Republic of China on Taiwan. In contrast to the positions of these two leaders of the older generation, the more mainstream Pan-Blue position is to pursue negotiations with the PRC to immediately open direct transportation links with China and to lift investment restrictions. With regards to independence, the mainstream Pan-Blue position is to simply maintain the ROCs current state, and being open to negotiations for unification.

For its part, the PRC has indicated that it finds a Republic of China far more acceptable than an independent Taiwan. Ironically, although it views the ROC as an illegitimate entity, it has stated 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. However, the defense of Taiwan by the US and Japan is likely, so it is not, in reality, clear what the PRC reaction would be. The US's current position is that the Taiwan issue must be resolved peacefully and that it condemns unilateral action by either side, an unprovoked invasion by China or a declaration of formal independence by Taiwan. ^[8]

Current political issues

A highway section in Taiwan

The dominant political issue today in the Taiwan Area in the Republic of China (ROC) is its relationship with the Government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) that governs Mainland China. The " Free Area of the Republic of China " ( is a Legal and Political description referring to the territories of the Republic of China under Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction Specifically, many people in Taiwan desire the opening of direct transportation links with the Mainland, including direct flights, which would aid many Taiwanese businesses that have opened factories or branches in the Mainland. The current DPP administration fears that such links will lead to tighter economic and thus political integration with the PRC, and in the 2006 Lunar New Year Speech, Chen Shui-bian called for managed opening of links.

Other major political issues include the passage of an arms procurement bill that the United States authorized back in 2001 for Taiwan's purchase, and the recent establishment of a National Communications Commission, which will take over much of the work of the former Government Information Office that had previously exercised a great deal of control over Taiwanese media through its advertising budget.

Banking reform, including consumer finance (limiting rates on credit cards) and bank mergers, is also a major issue. Taiwan's financial sector is quite unwieldy, with over 48 banks, none of which have a market share over 10%. In addition, the government controls 50% to 60% of Taiwan's banking assets. The ultimate aim is the creation of large financial institutions that will then have the ability to compete internationally.

The politicians and their parties themselves have become major political issues, with the recent exposure of corruption among some DPP administration officials, and KMT assets (the KMT formerly being the richest political party in the world) perennially also an issue. Recently, the merger of the KMT-PFP is thought to be certain, but a string of defections from the PFP to the KMT have increased tensions within the pan-Blue camp. There has been talk from both camps of amending the constitution to finally resolve whether the Republic of China on Taiwan is to be a presidential system or a parliamentary system.

In 2006, due to the Pacific Sogo Department Store scandal, the pro-KMT Pan-Blue Coalition moved to impeach the President but failed to obtain the requisite number of votes in the legislature. Sogo Co Ltd (株式会社そごう) is a department store chain that operates an extensive network of branches in Japan. The Pan-Blue Coalition ( or Pan-Blue Force ( is a Political alliance in the Republic of China (Taiwan consisting of the Kuomintang ^[9] This failure led to current "Down Ah-Bian" campaign, which seeks to pressure the president to resign from office. Million Voices against Corruption President Chen Must Go ( was a mass campaign led by former Democratic Progressive Party leader and Taiwanese politician The campaign began on September 1, 2006. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Campaign organizers claim that the first day of the strike attracted 300,000 people in Taipei, while the police estimated the number to be closer to 90,000. The "Down Ah-Bian" event is being led by activist and politician Shih Ming-te (施明德) as a peaceful sit-in around the capital, besieging the presidential residence. Shih Ming-te or Shih Ming-teh ( aka Nori born January 15, 1941 in Kaohsiung) was a Political prisoner for 25-and-a-half years While the protests have been largely peaceful, there have been isolated incidences of violence associated with the campaign, including fist fights between Pan-Blue and Pan-Green (pro-DPP) legislatures. The "Up Ah-Bian" event was organized to counteract the "Down Ah-Bian" campaign. On October 13, 2006, the Pan-Blue Coalition attempt again to pass a recall motion against Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian, which also failed to garner sufficient votes in the legislature. Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The Pan-Blue Coalition ( or Pan-Blue Force ( is a Political alliance in the Republic of China (Taiwan consisting of the Kuomintang ^[10]

On November 3, 2006, prosecutors in Taiwan stated that they have enough evidence to indict Chen's wife on corruption charges in connection with her handling of a secret diplomatic fund. According to the prosecutors, while Chen would not be indicted while in office, there is a possibility that he would be indicted after he leaves office.

In February 2007, Mr. Chen Shui-bian said that Taiwan will have to upgrade its weaponry to maintain the military balance with China. He believes that Taiwan's advantage is slipping against China's rising military prowess. ^[11]

Government

Main article: Government of the Republic of China

National Assembly and Constitutional Amendments

Main article: National Assembly of the Republic of China

The National Assembly of the Republic of China was elected on the mainland in 1947 to officially carry out the duties of choosing the president, to amend the constitution, and to exercise the sovereignty of the citizens, but in actuality, the Assembly's role in Taipei seemed to reconfirm the executive powers of President Chang Kai-shek. The Republic of China was formally established in 1912 in Nanjing under the Provisional Constitution of the Republic of China but this government was moved The National Assembly of the Republic of China ( refers to several Parliamentary bodies that existed in the History of the Republic of China. The President of the Republic of China ( is the Head of state of the Republic of China (ROC (commonly known as Taiwan since the 1970s The National Assembly was re-established on Taiwan when the government moved. Because it was impossible to hold subsequent elections to represent constituencies on the mainland, representatives elected in 1947-48 held these seats "indefinitely. " In June 1990, however, the Council of Grand Justices mandated the retirement, effective December 1991, of all remaining "indefinitely" elected members of the National Assembly, Legislative Yuan, and other bodies. Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar)

The second National Assembly, elected in 1991, was composed of 325 members. The majority was elected directly; 100 were chosen from party slates in proportion to the popular vote. This National Assembly amended the constitution in 1994, paving the way for the direct election of the president and vice president that was held in March, 1996. Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) The National Assembly retained the authority to amend the constitution, to recall or to impeach the president or vice president, and to ratify select senior-level presidential appointments. In April 2000, the members of the National Assembly voted to permit their terms of office to expire without holding new elections. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. They also determined that such an election would be called in the event the National Assembly is needed to decide a presidential recall or a constitutional amendment. In recent years, the National Assembly has handed most of its powers to the Legislative Yuan, including the power of impeachment. In 2005, the National Assembly permanently abolished itself by ratifying a constitution amendment passed by the Legislative Yuan.

Amending the ROC constitution now requires the approval of three-fourths of the quorum of members of the Legislative Yuan. This quorum requires at least three-fourths of all members of the Legislature. After passing by the legislature, the amendment needs ratification from at least fifty percent of all eligible voters of the ROC regardless of voter turnout.

Executive branch

Main article: Executive Yuan

The president is both the head of stateand the commander-in-chiefof the armed forces. The Executive Yuan ( literally "Executive court" is the Executive branch of the Government of the Republic of China. Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state A commander-in-chief is the Commander of a nation's Military forces or significant element of those forces The Republic of China (ROC (commonly known as Taiwan maintains a large and technologically advanced military establishment which accounted for The president has authority over the five administrative branches (Yuan): Executive, Legislative, Control, Judicial, and Examination. The Executive Yuan comprises the premier, vice-premier, and the cabinet members who are responsible for policy and administration. The president appoints the Premier, who is officially the President of the Executive Yuan. The President of the Executive Yuan ( commonly known in English as the Premier of Taiwan ( is the head of the Executive Yuan, the Executive

Legislative branch

Main article: Legislative Yuan

The main lawmaking body, the Legislative Yuan (LY), was originally elected in 1947. The Legislative Yuan ( is the Legislative body of the Republic of China (ROC which administers Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and The first LY had 773 seats and was viewed as a "rubber stamp" institution. Like the National Assembly, representatives elected in 1947-48 held these seats "indefinitely" until the 1991 ruling. The second LY was elected in 1992. Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) The third LY, elected in 1995, had 157 members serving 3-year terms. Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 The fourth LY, elected in 1998, was expanded to 225 members. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) The LY has greatly enhanced its standing in relation to the Executive Yuan and has established itself as an important player on the central level. Along with increasing strength and size this body is beginning to reflect the recently liberalized political system. In the 1992 and 1995 elections, the main opposition party — the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) — challenged the Kuomintang (KMT) dominance of the Legislature. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP ( Taiwanese: Bîn-chú-chìn-pō͘-tóng Traditional Chinese: zh-Hant 民主進步黨 Simplified Chinese: zh-Hans In both elections the DPP won a significant share of the LY seats, and the KMT held only half the seats in the LY. In 1998, however, the KMT increased its LY majority from 50% to 55% and continued to play a dominant role in the legislature as the leading opposition party. In the 2001 election, the DPP became the largest party after large losses suffered by the KMT.

See also: List of Presidents of the Legislative Yuan

Judicial branch

Main article: Judicial Yuan

The Judicial Yuan (JY) administers the ROC's court system. This is a list of Presidents of the Legislative Yuan: Pre-1947 Constitution Post-1947 Constitution See also The Judicial Yuan (司法院 is one of five branches of the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan in Taipei and serves as the highest judicial organ in It includes a 16-member Council of Grand Justices (COGJ) that interprets the constitution. Grand Justices are appointed by the President, with the consent of the Legislative Yuan, to 9-year terms. President of the Judicial Yuan is Weng Yueh-sheng.

Other Yuans

The Control Yuan (CY) monitors the efficiency of public service and investigates instances of corruption. The Control Yuan (監察院 Pinyin: Jiānchá Yùan one of five branches of the Republic of China government in Taipei, is a watchdog agency that monitors The 29 Control Yuan members are appointed by the president and approved by the Legislative Yuan; they serve 6-year terms. In recent years, the Control Yuan has become more activist, and it has conducted several major investigations and impeachments.

The Examination Yuan (ExY) functions as a civil service commission and includes two ministries: the Ministry of Examination, which recruits officials through competitive examination, and the Ministry of Personnel, which manages the civil service. The Examination Yuan ( is in charge of validating the qualification of civil servants in the Republic of China. The President appoints the Examination Yuan's President. President of the Examination Yuan is Yao Chia-wen. Yao Chia-wen ( a Taiwanese politician is a former President of the Examination Yuan of the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan.

Political parties and elections

e•d Summary of the 22 March 2008 Republic of China presidential election results

Main article: ROC presidential election, 2004

e•d Summary of the 11 December 2004 Republic of China Legislative Yuan election results

Coalitions and parties	Votes	%	Seats	Change
Pan-Blue Coalition			114	-1
Kuomintang 中國國民黨 (Zhongguo Guomin Dang,KMT)	3,190,081	34. The Election for the 11th-term President and Vice-President of the Republic of China (第十一任中華民國總統、副總統選舉 the third direct presidential election in Taiwan's The Legislative Yuan ( is the Legislative body of the Republic of China (ROC which administers Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and The Election for the 6th Legislative Yuan (第六屆立法委員選舉 of the Republic of China on Taiwan was held on December 11, The Pan-Blue Coalition ( or Pan-Blue Force ( is a Political alliance in the Republic of China (Taiwan consisting of the Kuomintang 90	79	+11
People First Party 親民黨 (Qinmin Dang)	1,350,613	14. The People First Party (親民黨 Pinyin: Qīnmíndǎng is a Centre-right conservative Political party in the Republic of China 78	34	–12
New Party 新黨 (Xin Dang)	12,137	0. The New Party (新黨 Xīn Dăng formerly the Chinese New Party (CNP 中華新黨 Zhōnghúa Xīn Dăng is a Centre-right Political party 13	1
Pan-Green Coalition			101	+1
Democratic Progressive Party 民主進步黨 (Minzhu Jinbu Dang)	3,471,429	37. The Pan-Green Coalition ( or Pan-Green Camp, is currently an informal Political alliance in the Republic of China (Taiwan consisting of the The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP ( Taiwanese: Bîn-chú-chìn-pō͘-tóng Traditional Chinese: zh-Hant 民主進步黨 Simplified Chinese: zh-Hans 98	89	+2
Taiwan Solidarity Union 台灣團結聯盟 (Taiwan Tuanjie Lianmeng)	756,712	8. The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU ( Traditional Chinese: 臺灣團結聯盟 Pinyin: Táiwān Tuánjié Liánméng is a Political party in the Republic 28	12	–1
Others			10
Non-Partisan Solidarity Union	353,164	3. The Non-Partisan Solidarity Union ( NPSU,) is a Political party in the Republic of China on Taiwan. 86	6	–5
Non-partisans			4
Total (turnout )	9,140,067		225
5% vote threshold needed for proportional seat assignment

Main article: ROC legislative election, 2004

In 2005 the ROC elected a National Assembly to amend the constitution. In Politics, an independent is a Politician who is not Affiliated with any Political party. The Election for the 6th Legislative Yuan (第六屆立法委員選舉 of the Republic of China on Taiwan was held on December 11, After the adoption of the amendments, the National Assembly was abolished.

e•d Summary of the 14 May 2005 Republic of China National Assembly election results

Parties	Votes	%	Seats
Parties in favor of the amendments			249
Democratic Progressive Party	1,647,791	42. An election for the National Assembly took place in Taiwan on Saturday 2005-05-14, from 0730 to 1600 local time The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP ( Taiwanese: Bîn-chú-chìn-pō͘-tóng Traditional Chinese: zh-Hant 民主進步黨 Simplified Chinese: zh-Hans 52	127
Kuomintang	1,508,384	38. 92	117
___ Chinese People's Party	41,940	1. The Chinese People's Party (中國民眾黨 is a small Political party in the Republic of China on Taiwan that won three seats in the National Assembly 08	3
___ Peasant Party	15,516	0. The Peasant Party (農民黨 Pinyin: Nóngmíndǎng is a minor party in the Republic of China ( Taiwan) 40	1
Civil Party	8,609	0. The Civil Party (公民黨 is a minor Political party in Taiwan. 22	1
Parties not in favor of the amendments			51
Taiwan Solidarity Union	273,147	7. The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU ( Traditional Chinese: 臺灣團結聯盟 Pinyin: Táiwān Tuánjié Liánméng is a Political party in the Republic 05	21
People First Party	236,716	6. The People First Party (親民黨 Pinyin: Qīnmíndǎng is a Centre-right conservative Political party in the Republic of China 11	18
___ 150 persons union led by Jhang Ya Jhong	65,081	1. 68	5
New Party	34,253	0. The New Party (新黨 Xīn Dăng formerly the Chinese New Party (CNP 中華新黨 Zhōnghúa Xīn Dăng is a Centre-right Political party 88	3
Non-Partisan Solidarity Union	25,162	0. The Non-Partisan Solidarity Union ( NPSU,) is a Political party in the Republic of China on Taiwan. 65	2
Taiwan Independence Party	11,500	0. The Taiwan Independence Party ( otherwise known as the Taiwan Nation Party, is a Political party in the Republic of China on Taiwan. 30	1
___ 20 persons union led by Wang Ting Sing	7,499	0. 19	1
Total (turnout )			300

Main article: ROC National Assembly election, 2005

Campaign flags in Taipei during a city council election 2002

As of November 2004, there are 108 officially registered parties in the Republic of China. An election for the National Assembly took place in Taiwan on Saturday 2005-05-14, from 0730 to 1600 local time Other parties than the parties listed above include:

• China Old Veterans Unification Party
• Taiwan Number One Party
• Great Chinese Battle Line of Unification
• New Nation Association
• Democratic Alliance
• Natural Law Party
• Taiwan Independence Party
• Green Party Taiwan
• Non-Party Alliance
• Farmers' Party
• Chinese Liberal Democratic Party
• Labor Party
• Chinese Youth Party
• Third Society Party

The aftermath of the 2000 Presidential election and the 2001 legislative election left the ROC fragmented among several political parties. The China Old Veterans Unification Party is a minor party in the Republic of China in Taiwan Taiwan Number One Party (台灣吾黨 Pinyin: Táiwān wúdǎng is a minor Political party in Taiwan. The Natural Law Party was founded in 1992 in the United States by a group of educators business leaders and lawyers in Fairfield, Iowa who practiced Transcendental The Taiwan Independence Party ( otherwise known as the Taiwan Nation Party, is a Political party in the Republic of China on Taiwan. The Green Party Taiwan (台灣綠黨 Pinyin: Táiwān Lǜ Dǎng is a Political party in Taiwan, active in the late 20th century established on 25 The Labour Party (or Workers' Party) is a Political party in Taiwan that proposes gradual Reunification with Mainland China The Young China Party (YCP also known as the Chinese Youth Party, (Traditional Chinese 中國青年黨 is a minor political party in the Republic of China. The Third Society Party (TSP 第三社會黨 is a Taiwanese Political party headed by Jou Yi-Cheng a former DPP member The Election for the 10th-term President and Vice-President of the Republic of China (第十任中華民國總統、副總統選舉 the second ever direct elections for President These parties can be divided into "blue" factions (Pan-Blue Coalition) and "green" factions (Pan-Green Coalition), with the "blue" faction tending toward unification and a national identity that is linked with China and the "green" faction leaning toward a national identity based on Taiwan independence which is separate from the Chinese national identity. The Pan-Blue Coalition ( or Pan-Blue Force ( is a Political alliance in the Republic of China (Taiwan consisting of the Kuomintang The Pan-Green Coalition ( or Pan-Green Camp, is currently an informal Political alliance in the Republic of China (Taiwan consisting of the Taiwan independence ( Pe̍h-oē-jī: Tâi-oân To̍k-li̍p ūn-tōng abbreviated to 台獨 Táidú Tâi-to̍k is a The complex structure of the party system in the ROC is also influenced by the voting system which uses single non-transferable vote for legislative elections and first past the post for executive elections. The single non-transferable vote or SNTV is an Electoral system used in multi-member constituency elections The plurality voting system is a Single-winner voting system often used to elect executive officers or to elect members of a legislative assembly which is based on single-member

The "blue" faction comes from the color of the Kuomintang and includes the Kuomintang, the People First Party, and the New Party. The People First Party (親民黨 Pinyin: Qīnmíndǎng is a Centre-right conservative Political party in the Republic of China The New Party (新黨 Xīn Dăng formerly the Chinese New Party (CNP 中華新黨 Zhōnghúa Xīn Dăng is a Centre-right Political party The "green" faction comes from the color of the Democratic Progressive Party and includes the Democratic Progressive Party and the Taiwan Solidarity Union. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP ( Taiwanese: Bîn-chú-chìn-pō͘-tóng Traditional Chinese: zh-Hant 民主進步黨 Simplified Chinese: zh-Hans The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU ( Traditional Chinese: 臺灣團結聯盟 Pinyin: Táiwān Tuánjié Liánméng is a Political party in the Republic

The Kuomintang (Nationalist Party) - Until 1986, Taiwan's political system was effectively controlled by one party, the KMT, the leader of which also was the ROC president. Many top political officials were members of the party. The party claimed over 2 million members, and its net assets were reputed to total more than NT $61. 2 billion, making it the richest political party in the world.

The Democratic Progressive Party - After 1986, the KMT's hold on power was challenged by the emergence of competing political parties. Before 1986, candidates opposing the KMT ran in elections as independents or "nonpartisans. " Before the 1986 island-wide elections many "nonpartisans" grouped together to create Taiwan's first new political party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Despite the official ban on forming new political parties, Taiwan authorities did not prohibit the DPP from operating, and in the 1986 Island-wide elections DPP and independent candidates captured more than 20% of the vote.

The Civic Organizations Law passed in 1989 allowed for the formation of new political parties, thereby legalizing the DPP, and its support and influence increased. In the 1992 Legislative Yuan elections, the DPP won 51 seats in the 161-seat body. While this was only half the number of KMT seats, it made the DPP's voice an important factor in legislative decisions. Winning the Taipei mayor's position in December 1994, significantly enhanced the DPP's image. The DPP continued its strong showing in the 1995 LY race, winning 45 of the 157 seats to the KMT's 81. The DPP for the first time succeeded in outpolling the KMT in the November 1997 local elections, gaining 12 of the 23 magistrate and mayoral seats as opposed to the KMT's 8 and winning 43% of the vote versus the KMT's 41%.

The DPP membership is made up largely of native Taiwanese. The DPP maintains that Taiwan is an entity separate from mainland China and supports an independent "Republic of Taiwan" as part of its platform. The recent downplaying of Taiwan independence by the DPP as a party, however, led to the formation by hard-line advocates of a new political party called the Taiwan Independence Party in December 1996.

The New Party (NP) - was formed in August 1993, by a group made up largely of second-generation mainlander KMT members who were unhappy both with corruption in the KMT and with what they saw as the "Taiwanization" of KMT ideology and leadership. Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) Mainlanders (also called Inlanders) are people who live in a region considered a "mainland" The NP emphasizes "clean government" and the original KMT focus on reunification with the mainland. NP influence remains modest and seems on the wane; it won 21 of the 164 LY seats in the 1995 elections but only 11 of 225 seats in 1998. The New Party was almost annihilated in the 2001 election as its members defected to the Peoples First Party.

The People's First Party (PFP) - A new opposition party was formed in the wake of the March 2000 presidential election by the runner up, a KMT maverick candidate. The People's First Party is composed primarily of former KMT and NP members who supported former KMT Taiwan Provincial Governor James Soong's presidential bid. James Chu-yu Soong ( born March 16, 1942) is a Politician in the Republic of China on Taiwan. The PFP currently had 17 members in the LY before the 2001 election, but increased its representation to over 40 in that election.

The Taiwan Solidarity Union - In 2001, supporters of former President Lee founded the Taiwanese Solidarity Union (TSU). Even though Lee did not join this party, he is named its spiritual leader and most believe he endorsed it. The TSU was formed primarily because, as it took power, the DPP had to moderate its standing as regards to Taiwan independence, leaving a hole in the Taiwanese political spectrum. In a bid to help the "green" side achieve control in the Legislative Yuan, the TSU was formed to attract the radical votes left over from DPP and the localist support for KMT. The TSU had often expressed that it wanted to be the "decisive minority".

Although some friction between mainlanders and native Taiwanese still exists, it has abated with time, and there has been a gradual melding of the two communities. Mainlanders (also called Inlanders) are people who live in a region considered a "mainland" In 1972, then-Premier Chiang Ching-kuo began a concentrated effort to bring Taiwanese into more senior position in the central administration and the KMT. Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Upon his accession to the presidency in January 1988, Lee Teng-hui, who is a native Taiwanese, continued this process. Steps by the government to redress past wrongs such as setting up a memorial to the victims of the February 28 Incident have contributed to this process. The 228 Incident ( Pe{{unicode|̍}}h-ōe-jī: Jī-jī-pat sū-kiāⁿ also known as the 228 Massacre ( was an anti-government Anti-Chinese uprising

Political conditions

This change in the political process is the result of the liberalizing trend that began in the 1980s under President Chiang Ching-kuo. The 1980s was the decade spanning from January 1 1980 to December 31 1989. Chiang Ching-kuo ( POJ: ChiúⁿKeng-kok ( April 27 1, 1910 – January 13, 1988) Kuomintang (KMT Politician In 1987, he lifted the emergency decree, which had been in place since 1948 and which had granted virtually unlimited powers to the president for use in the anti-communist campaign. Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. This decree provided the basis for nearly four decades of martial law under which individuals and groups expressing dissenting views were dealt with harshly. Martial law is the system of rules that takes effect when the military takes control of the normal administration of justice Expressing views contrary to the authorities' claim to represent all of China or supporting independent Taiwan independence was treated as sedition. Taiwan independence ( Pe̍h-oē-jī: Tâi-oân To̍k-li̍p ūn-tōng abbreviated to 台獨 Táidú Tâi-to̍k is a Vice-President Lee Teng-hui succeeded Chiang Ching-kuo as president when Chiang died on January 13, 1988. Events 532 - Nika riots in Constantinople. 888 - Odo Count of Paris becomes King of the Franks Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) Lee was elected by the National Assembly to a 6-year term in 1990, marking the final time a president was elected by the National Assembly. Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar)

Since ending martial law, the Republic of China has taken dramatic steps to improve respect for human rights and create a democratic political system. Most restrictions on the press have ended, restrictions on personal freedoms have been relaxed, and the prohibition against organizing new political parties has been lifted.

As the National Assembly took action in 1994 to allow for the popular election of the president, the LY in 1994 passed legislation to allow for the direct election of the governor of Taiwan Province and the mayors of Taipei and Kaohsiung Municipalities. Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) History In 1683 following a naval engagement with Admiral Shi Lang, Koxinga 's (Cheng Ch'eng Kung grandson Zheng Keshuang and ruler of Taiwan Taipei ( Taiwanese Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tâi-pak-chhī Jhuyin Fuhao: ㄊㄞˊ ㄅㄟˇ ㄕˋ Hakka: Thòi-pet-sṳ has been the capital of These elections were held in December 1994, with the KMT winning the governor and Kaohsiung mayor posts, and the DPP winning the Taipei mayor's position. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP ( Taiwanese: Bîn-chú-chìn-pō͘-tóng Traditional Chinese: zh-Hant 民主進步黨 Simplified Chinese: zh-Hans In March 1996, Lee Teng-hui was elected president and Lien Chan vice president in the first direct election by Taiwan's voters. Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) Lee Teng-hui ( POJ: Lí Teng-hui born 15 January 1923 is a Politician of Taiwan. The Election for the 9th-term President and Vice-President of the Republic of China (第九任中華民國總統 、副總統選舉 the first ever direct elections for President In 1998, the KMT's Ma Ying-jeou wrestled back control of the mayorship of Taipei from the opposition DPP's most prominent figure Chen Shui-bian. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) NOTICE*************** Taipei ( Taiwanese Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tâi-pak-chhī Jhuyin Fuhao: ㄊㄞˊ ㄅㄟˇ ㄕˋ Hakka: Thòi-pet-sṳ has been the capital of Chen Shui-bian ( born October 12, 1950) is a Taiwanese politician and former President of the Republic of China. In the same elections, however, the DPP's Frank Hsieh managed to defeat Kaoshiung's KMT incumbent. Frank Chang-ting Hsieh ( Wade-Giles: Hsieh Ch'ang T'ing {{Unicode|Pe̍h-oē-jī}}: Siā Tiông-têng or Chiā Tiông-têng (born May 18, 1946

The position of elected governor and many other elements of the Taiwan Provincial Government were eliminated at the end of 1998. The stated purpose of this was to streamline administrative efficiency, but some commentators have argued that this was also intended to weaken the power base of Governor James Soong. James Chu-yu Soong ( born March 16, 1942) is a Politician in the Republic of China on Taiwan. In November 1997 local elections, the DPP won 12 of the 23 county magistrate and city mayor contests to the KMT's 8, outpolling the KMT for the first time in a major election. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar

In March 2000, Democratic Progressive Party candidate Chen Shui-bian became the first opposition party candidate to win the presidency. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP ( Taiwanese: Bîn-chú-chìn-pō͘-tóng Traditional Chinese: zh-Hant 民主進步黨 Simplified Chinese: zh-Hans The Election for the 10th-term President and Vice-President of the Republic of China (第十任中華民國總統、副總統選舉 the second ever direct elections for President His victory resulted in the first-ever transition of the presidential office from one political party to another in the ROC. The election also had the effect of splitting the KMT's support base. James Soong launched an independent bid for the presidency after failing to be nominated by the party. In response the KMT expelled Soong and his supporters. Soong and his supporters blamed then-KMT Chairman Lee Teng-hui of harboring pro-independence sentiments and purposely trying to aid Chen Shui-bian by splitting the KMT's vote by running the less charismatic Lien Chan along with Soong. Lee Teng-hui ( POJ: Lí Teng-hui born 15 January 1923 is a Politician of Taiwan. After losing the vote narrowly to Chen and ahead of Lien, Soong established the People First Party. The People First Party (親民黨 Pinyin: Qīnmíndǎng is a Centre-right conservative Political party in the Republic of China Lee Teng-hui was soon forced out of the KMT Chairmanship amid popular protests and riots demanding he take responsibility for the KMT's defeat.

In the months following the 2000 presidential election, Lee Teng-hui's supporters established the Taiwan Solidarity Union, which advocated a more radical brand of Taiwan independence than the DPP. The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU ( Traditional Chinese: 臺灣團結聯盟 Pinyin: Táiwān Tuánjié Liánméng is a Political party in the Republic Taiwan independence ( Pe̍h-oē-jī: Tâi-oân To̍k-li̍p ūn-tōng abbreviated to 台獨 Táidú Tâi-to̍k is a For this, Lee was expelled from the KMT and the KMT gradually moved itself to a more conservative and pro-reunificationist position. This permitted the formation of two rival coalitions that have since dominated Taiwanese politics: the Pan-Blue Coalition formed by the Kuomintang, People First Party, and New Party and the Pan-Green Coalition formed by the Democratic Progressive Party and Taiwan Solidarity Union. The Pan-Blue Coalition ( or Pan-Blue Force ( is a Political alliance in the Republic of China (Taiwan consisting of the Kuomintang The Pan-Green Coalition ( or Pan-Green Camp, is currently an informal Political alliance in the Republic of China (Taiwan consisting of the

In the 2001 LY elections, the DPP won a plurality of seats for the first time. The Election for the 5th Legislative Yuan (五屆立法委員選舉 of the Republic of China (ROC on Taiwan was held on December 1, 2001. However, the Pan-Blue Coalition held a small majority over the Pan-Green Coalition, causing much of President Chen's agenda to be derailed. This also gave independents in the legislature more power, some of whom founded the Non-Partisan Solidarity Union in 2004. The Non-Partisan Solidarity Union ( NPSU,) is a Political party in the Republic of China on Taiwan.

In a hotly contested election on March 20, 2004, President Chen Shui-bian was re-elected by 50. The Election for the 11th-term President and Vice-President of the Republic of China (第十一任中華民國總統、副總統選舉 the third direct presidential election in Taiwan's Events 1600 - The Linköping Bloodbath takes place on Maundy Thursday in Linköping, Sweden. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " 1% of the popular vote to a second term. The election was marred by a shooting incident the day before the election during which President Chen and his running mate Vice President Annette Lu were slightly wounded. The 2004 Chen Shui-bian assassination attempt, also known as the 3-19 shooting incident ( was an Assassination attempt on President Chen Shui-bian While the opposition contested the results and suggested the shooting was staged to win sympathy (as President Chen had previously been slated to lose narrowly), it was the first time that the DPP has won an outright majority in an island-wide election.

The March election also included a "peace referendum. A nation-wide consultative referendum (全國性公民投票 was held in the Republic of China ( Taiwan) on March 20, 2004 to coincide with the " Historically, the issue of referendums has been closely tied to the question of Taiwan independence, and thus has been a sensitive issue in cross Strait relations. Taiwan independence ( Pe̍h-oē-jī: Tâi-oân To̍k-li̍p ūn-tōng abbreviated to 台獨 Táidú Tâi-to̍k is a There were two referendums before the voters on March 20, 2004. Events 1600 - The Linköping Bloodbath takes place on Maundy Thursday in Linköping, Sweden. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The first asked in light of the PRC missile threat whether the ROC should purchase anti-missile systems. The second asked whether Taiwan should adopt a "peace framework" for addressing cross Strait differences with the PRC. However both referendums failed to obtain support from over 50% of registered voters, as required to be valid. The Pan-Blue Coalition campaigned against the referendum as unnecessary and urged voters to boycott it.

President Chen Shui-bian has called for major constitutional reforms by 2006 aimed at further reducing layers of government, and making other structural changes aimed at improving governance. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The People's Republic of China has accused Chen of using the constitution issue to move Taiwan towards independence. He expressed opposition, however, in his May 20, 2004 inaugural address to using constitutional reform to alter the constitution's definition of Taiwan sovereignty. Events 325 - The First Council of Nicaea &ndash the first Ecumenical Council of the Christian Church is held "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again "

The Legislative Yuan passed a set of constitutional amendments on August 23, 2004 that halve the number of LY seats and create single-member districts. Events 79 - Mount Vesuvius begins stirring on the feast day of Vulcan the Roman god of fire "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The revisions also eliminate the role of the National Assembly and permit the public to confirm or reject future revisions passed by the LY. These constitutional amendments were ratified by the National Assembly in 2005.

Prior to the December 11, 2004 elections to the Legislative Yuan, signs indicated that the DPP would for the first time dominate the Legislative Yuan. Events 359 - Honoratus, the first known Prefect of the City of Constantinople, takes office "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Polls projected a huge pan-green victory, and the DPP's election tactics were based on them. This over-reliance on polls resulted in a huge set back. The pan-blue opposition managed to maintain their majority status within the Legislative Yuan, winning 114 seats out of the 225 seats. The Pan-Green only managed to win 101 seats. The remaining 10 seats were won by the independent candidates. Although the Pan-Green coalition increased their seats by one and the DPP remained the largest party, because of raised hopes the election was viewed as a disaster, and President Chen resigned his post as Chairman of DPP as a result.

On December 3, 2005, the KMT made major gains in municipal elections, taking 14 of 23 mayor or county magistrate seats, while the DPP retained only six seats of their previous 10. Events 1800 - War of the Second Coalition: Battle of Hohenlinden, French Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The pan-blue People First Party and New Party each took one seat, and an independent won one seat. The pan-green TSU was completely shut out. DPP chairman Su Tseng-chang had promised to resign to take responsibility for the defeat. This dramatic setback for the DPP and pan-greens was seen as a reaction to recent corruption scandals, and public disapproval of Chen Shui-Bian's apparent refusal to improve cross-strait relations.

A.M. Rosenthal, former executive editor of The New York Times accused China of fostering an "apartheid" policy toward Taiwan. Abraham Michael "AM" Rosenthal (May 2 1922 &ndash May 10 2006 born in Sault Ste ^[12] Dr Tan Sun Chen, Taiwan's Minister of Foreign Affairs, asserts that China's obstruction in the international community has led to a "political apartheid" which "harms the human rights, interests, and dignity of Taiwan’s people. ". ^[13]

Taiwan and the Mainland

See also Cross-Strait relations

Despite the differences between Taiwan and mainland China, contact between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait has grown significantly over the past decade. History Before 1949 See also Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. Mainland China, Continental China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term synonymous with the area that is under the jurisdiction The Taiwan Strait or Formosa Strait is a 180-km-wide (11185-mile-wide Strait between Mainland China and Taiwan. The ROC has continued to relax restrictions on unofficial contacts with the PRC, and cross-Strait interaction has mushroomed. Since 1987, when the ban on travel to the mainland was lifted, Taiwan residents have made more than 10 million trips to the mainland. The ROC Bureau of Foreign Trade estimates that indirect trade with the mainland reached about US$61. 639 billion, or 18% of the total trade of the ROC, in 2004. This indirect trade runs heavily in Taiwan's favor, providing another outlet for the island's booming economy. In an attempt to facilitate trade, in 1995 the Executive Yuan approved the construction of an offshore transshipment center at the port of Kaohsiung through which direct shipping with the mainland would be permitted. In April 1997 the first sanctioned direct cross-Strait shipping began between selected mainland ports and Kaohsiung for cargo being transshipped through Taiwan.

Beijing has expressed a mixed view of these developments. PRC leaders are pleased at the development of economic ties and exchanges, which they believe helps their cause of reunification. However, the increase in contacts, combined with domestic political liberalization on Taiwan, also has resulted in more open discussion in Taiwan of the future of Taiwan, including the option of independence, to which Beijing is strongly opposed.

The trend in cross-Strait interaction is one of steady growth with, so far, only temporary setbacks due to political factors such as Lee Teng-hui's private visit to the U. S. in 1995 and his 1999 characterization of relations with the mainland as "state-to-state. " Taiwan business representatives have concerns about issues such as safety, corruption, and contract disputes, which have led to increased caution and a search for alternative investment venues but not to pulling out from the mainland altogether. President Chen has yet to revise the previous administration's "no haste, be patient" policy regarding Taiwan-mainland investment to prevent over-dependence on the PRC. As a result of this policy the ROC has placed restrictions on largescale infrastructure investments on the mainland in 1997. Despite this, billions of dollars have been invested in the mainland by smaller firms.

The development of semiofficial cross-Strait relations has been incremental. Prior to April 1993, when talks were held in Singapore between the heads of two private intermediary organizations — Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) and the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) — there had been some lower-level exchanges between the two sides of the Strait. The Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF ( often abbreviated 海基會 / 海基会 is a semi-official organization set up by the Republic of China government to handle technical The Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS ( often abbreviated 海协会 / 海協會 is an organization set up by the People's Republic of China for The April 1993 SEF-ARATS talks primarily addressed technical issues relating to cross-Strait interactions. Lower-level talks continued on a fairly regular basis until they were suspended by Beijing in 1995 after President Lee's U. S. visit. Unofficial exchanges resumed in 1997 through informal meetings between personnel of the two sides' unofficial representative organizations. Direct SEF-ARATS contacts resumed in April 1998, and the SEF Chairman visited the mainland in October 1998. A planned visit by ARATS Chairman Wang Daohan to Taiwan in the fall, however, was postponed following statements made by then-President Lee Teng-hui that relations between the mainland and Taiwan should be conducted as "state-to-state" or at least as "special state-to-state relations. Wang Daohan ( (March 1915 &ndash December 24, 2005) was the former president of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS " Since his May 20, 2000 inauguration, President Chen has called for resuming the cross-Strait dialogue without any preconditions. Events 325 - The First Council of Nicaea &ndash the first Ecumenical Council of the Christian Church is held 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. President Chen has stated that such talks should be conducted on the basis of the "spirit of 1992," a reference to the agreement to hold the 1993 Singapore talks. The PRC, however, has insisted that President Chen must recognize the one China principle before talks can be held. The One-China policy ( is a principle that there is one China and that Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are all part of

Administrative divisions

Main article: Political divisions of the Republic of China

The Republic of China currently administers Fujian (Fukien) Province (some 20 offshore islands including Quemoy and Matsu), Taiwan Province (the island of Taiwan and the Pescadores Islands), and centrally administers two cities; note - the more commonly referenced administrative divisions are those of Taiwan island - 16 counties (sian, singular and plural), 5 municipalities* (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities** (Jhihsia Shih, singular and plural):

Changhua, Chiayi, Chiayi*, Keelung*, Hsinchu, Hsinchu*, Hualien, Yilan, Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung**, Miaoli, Nantou, Penghu, Pingtung, Taichung, Taichung*, Tainan, Tainan*, Taipei, Taipei**, Taitung, Taoyuan, and Yunlin, the provincial capital is at Jhongsing Village

References

See also

This article contains Chinese text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Chinese characters. Mojibake is the happenstance of incorrect unreadable characters (garbage characters shown when Computer software fails to render a text correctly according to its associated A Chinese character, also known as a Han character ( is a Logogram used in writing Chinese (hanzi Japanese (

• Chinese Political Parties
• Black gold (politics)
• Chinese numbered policies
• Elections in the Republic of China
• Foreign relations of the Republic of China
• Flag of the Republic of China
• Iron vote
• Legislative violence
• History of the Republic of China

Steve Tsang, The Cold War's Odd Couple: The Unintended Partnership between the Republic of China and the UK. The first major political party in China was the Kuomintang which has been restricted to Taiwan since 1949 Black gold ( is a term used in the Republic of China ( Taiwan) to refer to political corruption. Elections of the Republic of China gives information on Election and election results in the Republic of China ( with effective control over Taiwan The Republic of China (ROC, whose jurisdiction is now constituted by the islands of Taiwan, Pescadores, Kinmen, the Matsu Islands and some other The National Flag of the Republic of China ( is a well-known symbol of the Republic of China (ROC The " iron vote " (鐵票 Pinyin: tiě piào is a Taiwanese political term for a voter that can be reliably counted on to vote for one party or another Legislative violence broadly refers to any violent clashes between members of a nation's Legislature, often triggered by divisive issues and tight votes This article discusses history of the state which currently governs Taiwan Area. I. B. Tauris, 2006, ISBN 1-85043-842-0

Steve Tsang (ed. ), If China Attacks Taiwan: Military strategy, politics and economics. Routledge, 2006, ISBN 0-415-38018-9