Taiwan is an independent island state located in eastern Asia, off mainland China. It is located in the south of Japan and north of the Philippines. In fact, Taiwan has administrative and political independence from the continent, but its independence has never been proclaimed by either the island government or the continent. It is considered by the UN as a province of the People’s Republic of China, to which it belonged until its conquest by Japan in 1895. The latter lost the island after its defeat in 1945, and Taiwan returned to the Mainland China. In 1949, after its defeat in the civil war with the Communist Party, the Kuomintang settled in Taiwan, and since then has controlled the island. The Taiwan Government regards the island as a province of the Republic of China, as stipulated in its pre-1949 constitution. Taiwan claims sovereignty over all of mainland China, as well as parts of the territory of Taiwan, and some neighboring country parts. Beijing claims sovereignty over the island of Taiwan and sees a bad eye any rapprochement of the island with other countries, hence the diplomatic ban of Taiwan. In 1971, the People’s Republic of China, that is to say Beijing, even replaced the Republic of China, Taiwan, at the United Nations, since then. Since the 1980s, Taipei and Beijing have embarked on a diplomatic rapprochement that has enabled, among other things, residents of both countries to meet and travel freely. However, the armies of both countries are closely watching each other.
