Taiwan Mission - Team of High Performance

TAIWAN Shelter of emigrated Chinese after the taking of the power for the Communists, in 1949, Taiwan, also known for Formosa, is considered a province for the government of China. The mountainous archipelago understands a great island and 77 lesser, situated islands the 160 kilometers of continental China. After half separation century, has great cultural differences between the two countries. The old Chinese art well is preserved in Taiwan, while in China very it was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. Nor the used ideogramas to write in Mandarin are the same ones - the continental Chinese had developed a simplification, rejected in the island. Taiwan adopts the capitalism and presents high taxes of economic growth in years 80 - as the too much Asian Tigers. HISTORY China dominates the island in century XIV and there it installs communities of peasants. For 1600 return, the Portuguese establish a commercial warehouse, called Formosa. One follows one brief occupation of Spaniard, expulsos for the dutches in 1642. The Chinese reconquer the island in 1661 and retake the settling. COUNTRY OF EXILED China yields Taiwan to Japan in 1895, after the defeat in the War Bell-Japanese. In the end of the World War II, the island comes back to the sovereignty of China, then governed for the Nationalistic Party (Kuomintang) of Chiang Kai-shek. In 1949, defeated for the communist forces of Hand Tsé-tung, Chiang Kai-shek and the remainders of its government they run away for Taiwan. The country receives hundreds from thousand of continental Chinese, including great part of the economic and intellectual elite. The Kuomintang starts to function as left only. Massive investments of U.S.A. finance the development of the industry. In 1971, Taiwan is obliged to leave of the Organization of United Nations (ONU) because of the entrance of communist China. Taiwan breaches diplomatical relations with almost all the nations, but it intensifies the external commerce. OPENING Chiang Kai-shek dies in 1975 and is succeeded by the son, Chiang Ching-kuo, that one politics of liberalization initiates. In 1977 the martial law (in vigor since 1946) is abolished and authorized the functioning of other parties. The death of Chiang Ching-kuo, in 1988, speeds up the opening of the regimen, under the command of Lee Teng-hui. The Kuomintang wins the 1992 elections, the first ones with the participation of the opposition. China suggests the unification under the formula " a country, two sistemas" (communism and capitalism), the same one adopted in Hong Kong. Taiwan refuses the proposal. In March of 1996, to the eves of the unknown direct presidential election in the country, China carries through military maneuvers in the strait of Taiwan. The United States (U.S.A.) dislocate two aircraft carriers to the region to protect the country. The coercion of Pequim does not occasion effect, and Lee Teng-hui if it reelects. In 1997 the maritime communication with continental China is reestablished, interrupted since 1949. The taiuanesa economy grows 6% in 1998 almost and surpasses the effect of the Asian financial crisis (1997). The economic management of the country during the turbulences in the region - with a drastic reduction of the tax of interests - guarantees the victory of the Kuomintang in the parliamentary elections of 1998. RECENT FACTS Divergences in the Kuomintang lead to the expulsion of one of its more popular leaders, James Soong. The party arrives divided and weakened at the presidential elections of March of 2000, favoring the victory of Chen Shui-bian, of the Progressive Democratic Party, with 39,3% of the votes. For the first time, Taiwan has a president that it does not belong to the Kuomintang. Independence X Unification Chen Shui-bian adopts a moderate speech in relation to China, even so its party has a traditional position for the emancipation. The new president considers the dialogue in January of 2000, but Pequim demands as daily pay-condition a commitment of unification for the future. In May, Chen discards the unilateral announcement of independence, since that China does not use the force to get the reunificação. The declarations well are received and contribute for an agreement, signed in December, that allows the commercial interchange, the sending of letters and the transport of passengers between the continental rovíncia of Fujian and the taiuanesas islands of Quemoy and Matsu So. Nuclear plant - Without parliamentary majority, the new taiuanês government faces difficulties to approve its projects. An impasse politician bursts in October of 2000, when Chen announces the suspension of the construction of one fourth nuclear plant in the country. The opposition argues that the decision previously opposes law approved by them parliamentarians. The case is sent to the supreme agency of the Judiciary one. In January of 2001 the retaken one of the workmanships is determined. GROWTH The exportations of Taiwan get fort expansion in 2000, favours mainly to the depreciation of its currency. The Gross domestic product (the GIP) grows to a tax esteem in 6,3%, surpassing 5.7% of the previous year. In 2001, however, Taiwan it suffers the effect from the deceleration of the North American economy and the fall of the international demand for electronic products and of high technology - the country produces half of the plates of circuits of existing personal computers in the whole world. Moreover, many of its industries if had transferred to continental China. Attritions with China - In the day 1º of January of 2001, three ships of Taiwan cross, for the first time since 1949, the sea that separates the archipelago of continental China. In May, the tensions with China if relight with the sales of North American weapons the Taiwan and the visit of Chen to U.S.A. The two facts - that they occur in a conflict phase diplomatist between China and U.S.A. because of the forced landing of a Chinese airplane of North American espionage in ground - provoke protests of the government of Pequim. A full island of weapons - Under permanent Chinese threat, Taiwan is one of the buying greaters of weapons of the planet. In 1999, the country alone loses for Saudi Arabia in the importation of warlike material, according to data of the Military Balance. In the same year, the government destines 15 billion dollar for the Defense, inferior budget only to the one of great powers and countries with continental dimension. RETALIATION These transactions, invariably folloied of protests of the government of Pequim, are an additional factor of tension between China, a side, and the other, Taiwan and its main ally, the United States (U.S.A.). Although they do not recognize the taiuanês regimen officially, U.S.A. if compromises to guarantee the ways to it so that it can be defended of an eventual invasion. In 1992, on the basis of this politics, U.S.A. supplies to the Taiwan 150 F-16 huntings. In the following year, Taiwan purchase of France 60 Mirage huntings and six frigates. The subject comes back to tona in August of 2001, when Washington authorizes the sales the Taiwan of a package of sophisticated armaments that includes four destroyers, Orion aircraft (for detention of submarines) and eight submarines diesel. GENERAL DATA OFFICIAL NAME - Republic of China (territory of the Island of Taiwan or Formosa) (Chunghua Min Kuo). Capital - Taipé Localization - east of Asia, sea of Eastern China GEOGRAPHY Area: 36,202 km ². Local hour: +11h. Climate: subtropical (n) and tropical (s). Cities: Taipé (2.641.000), Kaohsiung (1.476.000), Taichung (941.000), Tainan (728.000) (2000); Panchiao (519.459) (1997). POPULATION 22.1 million (2000); nationality: Chinese, taiuanesa or formosina; composition: taiuaneses Chinese 84%, continental Chinese 14%, ethnic groups autóctones 2% (1996). Language: Mandarin (official), dialetal Chinese. Religion: Chinese popular beliefs 50.7%, buddhism 20.9%, taoísmo 10.2%, new religions 6.8%, Christianity 6.3%, without religion and ateísmo 4.4%, others 0.8% (2000). Density: 610,46 hab. /km2 (2000). Pop. urb.: 68% (2000). Cresc. they dem.: 0.8% to ano* (2001). Fecundidade: 1,8 son for mulher* (2001). Exp. of life M/F: 72,5/78,1 years (2000). Mort. Infantile: 6 - (2000). Illiteracy: 3.5% (2000). ECONOMY Currency: new dollar of Taiwan; quotation for US$ 1:34,57 (ago. /2001). The GIP: US$ 313,9 billion (2000). The GIP agropec.: 2.9%. The GIP ind.: 34%. The GIP serv.: 63.1% (2001). Cresc. The GIP: 8% to the year (2000). Per capita income: US$ 14,188 (2000). Force of work: 9,7 million (1999). Export.: US$: 121,6 billion (1999). Import.: US$: 110,7 billion (1999). Commercial partners: Japan, U.S.A., China. DEFENSE - Army: 240 a thousand; Navy: 62 a thousand; Aeronautics: 68 a thousand (2000). Expenses: US$: 14,9 billion (1999). GOVERNMENT Republic with mixing form of government. Div. administrative: 17 counties and 7 municipalities. President: Chen Shui-bian (Broken Democratic Progressive) (since 2000). First-minister: Chang Chun-Hsiung (since 2000). Parties: Nationalist of China (Kuomintang), Democratic Progressive, New. Legislative: bicameral - National Assembly, with 334 members; Legislative Yuan, with 225 members Constitution: 1947. Economic and Cultural office of Taipé. Geographic localization Taiwan is a situated Chinese province in the Southeast of the continental platform of China. The terrestrial surface measures 36 a thousand kilometers squared, counting on more than 80 islands, over all the Island of Taiwan, islands next and the archipelago to Penghu. Taiwan is bathed by the Sea East to the north, with the Islands of Ryukyu the northeast; the Pacific Ocean the East and with the Strait of Bash the South, next to the Phillipino. About 130 kilometers it they divide of the province of Fujian, forming the Strait of Taiwan. The strategical province dominates the center of the maritime route of the Pacific West. Strait of Taiwan The Strait of Taiwan possesss 380 on average km of North South and 190 east km the west. Its territorial band measures only 130 km - since Xinzhu in Taiwan to the Pingtan in Fujian. The climate is pleasant with v