Timeline of Taiwanese history

This is a timeline of Taiwanese history, comprising important legal and territorial changes and political events in Taiwan and its predecessor states. To read about the background to these events, see History of Taiwan and History of the Republic of China. See also the list of rulers of Taiwan.

13th century

18th century

20th century

Year	Date	Event	-
1900		Sun Zhongshan visits Taiwan	-
1902		Some 12,000 "bandit-rebels" are killed by the Japanese	-
1905		Population census records 2,492,784 Chinese, 82,795 "mountain people", and a total of 3,039,751 Taiwanese residents	-
1907		Beipu uprising: Hakka people and Saisiyat indigenouss rebel against Japanese rule unsuccessfully	-
1911		Liang Qichao visits Taiwan	-
1913		Japanese forces engage in a campaign bring indigenouss on the east coast under government control	-
1913		Hakka people rebel in Miaoli and are defeated	-
1914	May-August	Truku War: The Truku people rebel against Japanese rule unsuccessfully	-
1914	December	Itagaki Taisuke creates the Taiwan Doukakai, a Taiwan assimilationist movement with popular support from Taiwanese	-
1915	January	Taiwan Doukakai comes under attack by Japanese residents and authorities in Taiwan, and it is quickly disbanded	-
1915		Tapani Incident: Marks 20 years of resistance against Japanese rule	-
1921		The Taiwanese Cultural Association is founded	-
1925		Population of Taiwan grows to 3,993,408	-
1927		The Taiwanese People's Party breaks from the Taiwanese Cultural Association	-
1930		Wushe Incident: 300 Seediq people led by Mona Rudao raid a Japanese police station and attack an elementary school, killing 134 Japanese and two Han Chinese ; in response the government intensifies their efforts to subjugate the Atayal indigenous people	-
1935		Population of Taiwan grows to 5,212,426; Chinese population of eastern Taiwan increases to 70,000	-
1937	April	Chinese language in newspapers is banned and Classical Chinese is removed from the school curriculum	-
1943		Compulsory primary education begins. Enrollment rates reached 71.3% for Taiwanese children and 99.6% for Japanese children in Taiwan making Taiwan's enrollment rate the second highest in Asia after Japan.	-
1943		1943 Cairo Declaration: The Allies of World War II demand the restoration of all Chinese territories lost to Japan including Taiwan and Penghu	-
1944		Taiwan is bombed by American forces as part of Allied effort to defeat Japan	-
1945	14 August	Hirohito surrender broadcast: Hirohito announces Japan's surrender	-
1945	25 October	Retrocession Day: Rikichi Andō signs documents "restoring" Taiwan and Penghu to the Republic of China with Chen Yi appointed as Chief Executive.	-
1945		Population of Taiwan grows to 6,560,000	-
1947	14 February	Taipei's rice market closes due to a riot	-
1947	28 February	February 28 Incident: Six officers attempt to arrest a woman selling cigarettes illegally in Taipei, a Taiwanese man is killed, and as a result mass riots break out all over the island	-
1947	8 March	February 28 Incident: Reinforcements from mainland China arrive in Keelung	-
1947	13 March	February 28 Incident: The Taiwanese resistance is defeated by KMT	-
1947	22 April	Chen Yi is replaced by Wei Daoming	-
1947	25 December	The Constitution of the Republic of China takes effect.	-
1948	November	More than 31,000 refugees enter Taiwan per week	-
1948	30 December	Wei Daoming is replaced by Chen Cheng as the Taiwanese officier appointed by the Republic of China.	-
1949		Approximately 5,000 refugees enter Taiwan each dayKMT retreat to Taiwan
1949	19 May	White Terror (Taiwan): KMT begins imposing 38 years of Martial law in Taiwan	-
1949	June	The New Taiwan dollar is introduced at an exchange rate of one NT to 40,000 old Taiwan dollars	-
1949	1 October	Chinese Civil War: CCP Chairman Mao Zedong proclaims the formation of the People's Republic of China in Peiping which became their national capital.	-
1949	10 December	Chinese Civil War: The ROC relocates its government to Taipei.	-
1950	1 March	Chiang Kai-shek admits that he is personally responsible for the loss of mainland China at his inaugural ceremony for resuming the presidency of the Guomindang	-
1950		Elections are held at local and provincial levels, but not at the national level	-
1950	1 May	Landing Operation on Hainan Island: Hainan falls to the Communists.	-
1951		Land Reform in Taiwan: The government starts selling public land to tenant farmers, nearly a fifth of Taiwan's arable land	-
1952		Agricultural exports reach U.S.$114 million	-
	28 April	The president of the Republic of China George Yeh and the governor of Japan Isao Kawada sign documents renouncing Japan's rights and claims on Taiwan and Penghu.	-
1953	January	Land Reform in Taiwan: Amount of land available to landlords is restricted and excess land is sold to tillers	-
1955	20 January	Battle of Yijiangshan Islands: People's Liberation Army forces ROC forces off the Yijiangshan Islands
1955		Population of Taiwan grows to 9,078,000	-
1958		Second Taiwan Strait Crisis: People's Liberation Army attacks Kinmen and the Matsu Islands but fail to take them	-
1958		Population of Taiwan reaches 10 million	-
1960		Chiang Kai-shek's presidency is extended past two terms	-
1960		Institutions of higher education increase to 15, primary schools rise to 1,982, and secondary schools to 299	-
1961		Slightly over half of Taiwan's population lives in urban areas	-
1964		Taiwanese Hokkien language is banned in schools and official settings	-
1965		Population of Taiwan grows to 12,628,000	-
1968		Compulsory education is extended from 6 to 9 years	-
1970		Taiwan's Gini coefficient falls to 0.321	-
1971		China and the United Nations: The United Nations recognizes the People's Republic of China as the government of China. The Republic of China withdraws from the United Nations.	-
1975		Population of Taiwan grows to 16,150,000	-
1979		The United States withdraws recognition of the Republic of China and recognizes the People's Republic of China. Four months later, the United States Congress passes the Taiwan Relations Act which establishes unofficial relations.	-
1980		Hsinchu Science Park founded	-
1985		Population of Taiwan grows to 19,258,000	-
1987	7 March	Lieyu Massacre was covered up on the frontline of Kinmen Defense Command	-
1987	15 July	Martial law in Taiwan: Martial law is lifted from Taiwan	-
1987		The Environmental Protection Administration reveals that 15 percent of farmland is contaminated by heavy metals	-
1990		Wild Lily student movement in Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.	-
1990		Number of farm households fall to less than 20 percent	-
1991		Legislative Yuan and National Assembly elected in 1947 were forced to resign.	-
1991		The first democratic election of National Assembly.	-
1992		Fair Trade Law enacted.	-
1992		The first democratic election of the Legislative Yuan.	-
1992		1992 Consensus	-
1994		National Health Insurance begins.	-
1995		US government reverses policy and allows President Lee Teng-hui to visit the US. The People's Republic of China responds with the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis by launching a series of missiles into the waters off Taiwan. The Taiwan stock market loses one-third of its value.	-
1995		February 28 Incident monument erected; President Lee Teng-hui publicly apologizes on behalf of the KMT.	-
1995		Population of Taiwan grows to 21,300,000	-
1996		President Bill Clinton dispatches the USS Nimitz supercarrier to patrol the Taiwan Strait.	-
1996		The first direct presidential election; Lee Teng-hui elected.	-
1997		Private cellular phone companies begin services.	-
1999		Resolution on Taiwan's Future	-
1999		Chi-Chi earthquake.	-