- 1895 – Japan took control of Taiwan after defeating China’s Qing’s Dynasty.
- 1945 – Taiwan back to China post WWII | under KMT control.
- 1949 – Chinese communists won Chinese civil war.
- 1949 – The Nationalist/KMT-controlled Republic of China government fled to Taiwan.
- 1949 – 2 million nationalists fled to Taiwan | claimed to govern both China and Taiwan.
- Recognized by the UN and western nations all China’s legitimate government.
- KMT forced one party rule in Taiwan | martial law imposed.
- 1971 – KMT’s Chiang Kai-shek refuses UN’s demand for dual-representation deal | with Communist China.
- 1971 – UN replaces Taiwan’s ROC Govt with mainland China’s CPC govt as China’s sole representative | given UNSC seat.
- 1975 – Chiang Kai-shek dies | his son Chiang Ching-kuo pushes for more open political system.
- 1979 – Global attention towards’ KMT’s repressive rule | democracy protesters killed | all opposition leaders arrested | known as Kaohsiung Incident.
- 1980s onwards – democratization process beings in Taiwan.
- 1986 – Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) comes into existence | was initially an illegal political party.
- 1987 – Chiang Ching-kuo lifts martial law | visits to mainland China allowed.
- 1988 – Chiang Ching-kuo dies.
- 1992 – Legislative elections in Taiwan | 1st in 40 years.
- 1996 – 1st presidential election | Chiang Ching-kuo’s successor Lee Teng-hui beats DPP.
- 1996 – China’s anti-Taiwan election steps | missile tests | backed off after US sent aircraft careers to the region.
- 2000 – March – 2nd presidential election | DPP beats KMT | Chen Shui-bian became president | not in favour of Taiwanese independence | if China remains calm.
- 2002 – Taiwan joins WTO.
- 2004 – 3rd presidential election | DPP’s Chen Shui-bian beats KMT again.
- 2008 – parliamentary elections in January | KMT’s landslide victory.
- 2008 – 4th presidential election in March | KMT beats DPP | Ma Ying-jeou becomes president.
- 2012 – 5th presidential election | KMT’s Ma Ying-jeou retains presidential office.
- 2014 – first govt to govt talks between Taiwan and China in February.
- 2014 – Sunflower Movement | wide protests in Taiwan over a proposed trade pact with China | protesters occupy parliament and govt office | say pact will give China grip over Taiwan’s economy.
- 2014 – First clear signs of democracy in Taiwan | visible result | humiliating defeat of Ma Ying-jeou in local elections.
- 2016 – 6th presidential election | DPP beats KMT | Tsai Ing-wen becomes president | wins 68 out of 113 legislative seats.
- 2020 – 7th presidential election | DPP’s Tsai Ing-wen retains office and diplomatic majority.