Republic of Formosa
Republic of Formosa 台灣民主國 | |||||||||
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| 1895–1895 | |||||||||
 Flag
 Republic Ex Libris
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 Territory of the Republic of Formosa in 1895, prior to the Japanese invasion | |||||||||
| Capital | Tainan | ||||||||
| Common languages | Mandarin, Hoklo, Hakka | ||||||||
| Government | Republic | ||||||||
| President | |||||||||
• May 1895 - June 1895 | Tang Ching-sung | ||||||||
• June 1895 - Oct. 1895 | Liu Yung-fu | ||||||||
| Historical era | New Imperialism | ||||||||
• Declared | May 24 1895 | ||||||||
| October 23 1895 | |||||||||
| Population | |||||||||
• 1895 | 2,980,000 | ||||||||
| Currency | Qing liang | ||||||||
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The Republic of Formosa (simplified Chinese: 台湾民主国; traditional Chinese: 臺灣民主國; pinyin: Táiwān Mínzhǔguó; lit. "Taiwan Democratic State"; official English name: Formosan Republic, Taiwan Republic) was a republic that existed on the island of Taiwan in 1895, between the removal of Qing forces and the establishment of Japanese control of the island following the Treaty of Shimonoseki. Though sometimes claimed by certain historians or politicians as the first Asian republic to have been proclaimed, it was predated by the Republic of Ezo, which had been established on December 25, 1868.
History
The republic was proclaimed by a group of pro-Qing high officials and members of the local gentry in order to, it was hoped, prevent Japanese acquisition of Taiwan which China had just ceded to Japan under the Treaty of Shimonoseki. Many of these officials fled the island upon Japan's invasion. On May 24, 1895 an English translation of its declaration of independence was sent to all the embassies on the island, followed by a ceremony the next day. It managed to issue stamps under the auspices of the republic.
In spite of the similarity in name, modern-day proponents of a "Republic of Taiwan" tend to disavow a connection between the two, thus neither claiming a revival of that entity nor regarding themselves as political offspring of that movement. The reason for this is that the first Republic of Taiwan was created as an act of loyalty to a government on mainland China while modern supporters of the Republic of Taiwan tend to wish to distance themselves from mainland China.
Presidents of the Republic of Formosa (Taiwan)
- Tang Ching-sung (May 25, 1895 – June 5, 1895)
- Liu Yung-fu (June 5, 1895 – October 21, 1895)
See also
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