President Tsai praises Taiwan-Swaziland ties during 50/50 celebrations

President Tsai Ing-wen said April 19 that Taiwan-Swaziland relations are going from strength to...

While Taiwan may be described as a predominantly Han Chinese society, with more than 95 percent of the population claiming Han ancestry, its heritage is actually much more complex. The successive waves of Chinese immigrants that began arriving in the 17th century belonged to a variety of subgroups with mutually unintelligible languages and different customs. Today in Taiwan, however, distinctions between them have become blurred as a result of extensive intermarriage and the universal use of Mandarin.

The ROC was founded in 1912 in mainland China. At that time, Taiwan was under Japanese colonial rule as a result of the 1895 Treaty of Shimonoseki, by which the Qing ceded Taiwan to Japan. The ROC government began exercising jurisdiction over Taiwan in 1945 after Japan surrendered at the end of World War II.

Taiwan is renowned for its fascinating blend of traditional and modern culture. To showcase the nation’s history and cultural diversity, museums have been established across Taiwan, including the National Palace Museum, National Taiwan Museum and National Museum of History.