Island in the Stream: A Quick Case Study of Taiwan’s History

Taiwan (Ihla Formosa) has long experienced the fate and challenges of being an Island In The Stream. Caught up and buffeted by numerous historical, cultural and physical crosscurrents running between the East and South China Seas, the people of this island have struggled with identity and survival. Outside forces have had their shaping influence, Strong also has been the influence of the island’s many immigrants and indigenous peoples. Taiwan’s history is a story of struggle and adaptation. In the new millennium the people have directly elected a new president in a democratic transference of power, but the island faces new challenges, that of membership in the United Nations and the unresolved One China Question with the People’s Republic of China.