Taiwan’s Colonial Past: From Dutch Rule to Japanese Occupation

 

A small island, Taiwan, just 110 miles east of mainland China, has witnessed the presence of various colonial powers, ranging from Western trade voyagers to a rising military power in East Asia. Originally inhabited by Aboriginals, it practically had no contact with outsiders until the advent of the Dutch East India Company in southwestern Formosa in the year 1624. The climatic conditions, availability of cheap and strong manpower, proximity to China, and sea trade routes were incentives for the Dutch East Indian Company to set up plantations of rubber and grains. The news quickly spread among European burgeoning traders about an island of opportunity. Then, in 1626, the Spanish established their base in Northern Taiwan, known as Hermosa. With two European powers holding almost far points of the territory, there were no intentions to share the jewels of the island with each other. As a result, the strong Dutch forces ousted the Spanish from Hermosa. For the next 40 years, the Dutch solely enjoyed the profits of Formosan rubber and grain plantations.

 Simultaneously, the Ming dynasty ruling over China had neither the time nor the motivation to look towards their east until the Qing overthrew the century-long rule. Some commanding Ming loyalists fled to Formosa for their lives. To their surprise, they found the Dutch East India Company in control of plantations and Formosan aboriginals as subjects. The military might the Ming possessed was then diverted to drive out the Dutch from the island in 1662. It was the first instance in history that a Chinese dynasty claimed the entire Formosa, i.e., Taiwan. In search of absconding Ming loyalists who now claimed an island in proximity to the mainland, the Qing army landed on the western coast with the objective of clearing out Ming loyalists from this soil. In 1885, Formosa was declared a part of the Qing Empire. The control over this territory was expected to last for centuries, but the growing Japanese military power had different plans.

Brief about China – Japan competition for influence in east Asia

The Meiji Restoration propelled Japan towards rapid modernization and industrialization. The sudden surge in military prowess and the resource-hungry industries compelled Japan to expand beyond its borders in search of resources. The objective in East Asia was to bring the Korean peninsula into its sphere of influence, which was presently aligned with Qing China. The struggle to bring Korea into their respective spheres of influence resulted in a war between a formidable Chinese army and a freshly modernized Japanese force during the Tonghak Rebellion in Korea. To the surprise of China, the Qing army lost the upper hand to Japan. As a result, Japan was given control of the territories of Korea and Formosa (Taiwan) under the Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895. Taiwan remained under Japanese occupation until the surrender in 1945.

TIMELINE

1624 – Dutch East India Company occupied South-western Taiwan

1626- Spanish established base in Northern Taiwan (Hermosa), but eventually thrown out by Dutch

1662- Ming loyalist fled to Taiwan and drove out Dutch East Indian company. 1^st instance of a Chinese dynasty claiming Taiwan

1683- In search of absconding Ming loyalist, Qing landed in Taiwan and taken control of island

1885- Taiwan is declared as province of Qing empire

1895- Treaty of Shimonoseki. Qing ceded Taiwan to Japan

1945 – Taiwan returned to China after surrender of Japanese imperial army