Essat on taiwan now and then
Essat on taiwan now and then"Taiwan defends plans to develop long range nuclear missiles"(Taipei, Dec 9 1999 AFP). A top Taiwanese official on Thursday defended his government's right to develop long-range missiles after US reports said China was building a new missile base targeting the island of Taiwan.
During the period of the Opium War, a British fleet tried to occupy Keelung harbor in north Taiwan but eventually failed. This was the first aggressive move on Taiwan by imperialist powers. In October 1856, the "Arrow" incident which occurred in Canton induced a Second Opium War, and as a result four Tientsin treaties were concluded during June, 1858. Based on the Tientsin treaties, Tamsui, Keelung, Anping and Takao were opened to the West, and western missionaries were allowed to propagate Christianity in Taiwan.
The summaries of treaties signed at that time were: (1) Abolish government monopoly of camphor business, permit foreigners and their employees to freely buy and sell camphor products; (2) Permit foreign merchants to travel freely in Taiwan; (3) Indemnify for the losses of churches, forbid the residents to slander Christianity; (4) Missionaries are given the right to live in Taiwan and propagate Christianity; (5) Complications between the natives and foreigners should be jointly judged by Ch'ing authorities and the British Council.
In 1871 an incident occurred where sixty-six Miyakojima residents of Ryukyu drifted into southern Taiwan, where fifty-four were killed by aborigines. This became known as the "Botan Incident", which Japan quickly used to try and win recognition of its territorial right to Ryukyu. The following year the Japanese government set up a consulate in Fuchow and sent a consul to spy on Taiwan. Japan also hired ex-American consul of Amoi, C.W. LeGendre, who was well acquainted with Taiwan affairs, to act as an advisor to the Foreign Affairs Department. These moves were part of the preparation for a military venture into Taiwan.
Japanese troops led by Saigo, departed from Nagasaki on May 17, and landed near Hengchun in southern Taiwan. The Japanese troops successfully occupied the "barbaric territory by June. With Japan fighting for control of Taiwan, elite's and residents of Taiwan, who advocated fighting to the last, already had their minds set on Taiwan independence. With preparation of Taiwan independence swiftly under way, a "Declaration of the Independence of Taiwan Democratic Republic" was proclaimed on May 23, 1895. On May 24,...
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