Taiwan vs. Mainland Mandarin Chinese
People in Taiwan and China both speak Mandarin Chinese. However, with some phrases they can mean completely different things. Tell us if you know anymore! Sp......
Sixty years is a long time to wait for a free-trade deal. But with China and Taiwan nothing is ever straightforward. Last week, the two sides finally signed a long-awaited 'economic co-operation framework agreement (ECFA)'. Despite having a name designed to make your eyes glaze over, this is quite a big deal. It's the latest and largest step in a story I've been flagging up for some time – the transformation of Taiwan's economy. Taiwan has already evolved once, from a poor rural economy into a leading technology centre. Now it could be set for another huge shift. And all with the help of a country that doesn't...Money Week 2010-07-08
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Taiwan (i// TY-WAHN; Chinese: 臺灣 or 台灣; pinyin: Táiwān; see below), officially the Republic of China (ROC; Chinese: 中華民國; pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínguó), is a state in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China now governs the island of Taiwan (formerly known as Formosa), which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu, and other minor islands. Neighboring states include the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east and northeast, and the Philippines to the south. Taipei is the capital city and economic and cultural centre of the country, and New Taipei is the most populous city.
The earliest evidence of inhabitation of Taiwan dates back to the late Paleolithic era. The island of Taiwan was mainly inhabited by Taiwanese aborigines before being colonized in the 17th century by the Dutch and the Spanish Empire. The first Han Chinese polity on Taiwan began when Koxinga's troops defeated Dutch forces and established the Kingdom of Tungning. The island was subsequently ruled by the Qing Dynasty after the kingdom's defeat in the Battle of Penghu in 1683, a period that lasted for over 200 years. Following Japan's victory over the Qing Dynasty in the first Sino-Japanese war, Taiwan was ceded to Japan under the Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895.