taiwan

• island of southeast asia off the the southeastern coast of china; formerly formosa
the republic of china, more commonly known as taiwan and formerly known as formosa, is an island off the south-east coast of china. it was governed by china from the 17th century and was ceded to japan following the sino-japanese war in 1895. at the end of the second world war it reverted to china. when the communists under mao zedong established the people's republic of china in 1949, the kuomintang (kmt) forces under chiang kai-shek fled from mainland china to taiwan and moved the central government of the republic of china, established in 1911, to the island. the kmt, also called the nationalist party of china, claim to be the legitimate rulers of mainland china. until 1971, when the people's republic of china was recognized, the republic of china occupied the chinese seat at the united nations. the united states recognized the people's republic of china as the legitimate government of mainland china in 1979. chiang kai-shek ruled until his death in 1975. lee teng-hui, of the kmt, became president in 1988. lien chan, of the kmt, became premier in 1993. taiwan exports textiles, electrical products, and machinery. it is not a member of the united nations.