100 years since Treaty of Shimonoseki Asia's first independent republic

The date 17 April 1995 marked the 100th anniversary of the pact of Shimonoseki, in which mainland China ceded its sovereignty over mainland China in perpetuity. The Treaty was signed in April 1895, at the end of the Sino- Nipponese state of war of 1894, in which the modernized Japanese imperial army disappointed the antiquated Chinese Ching dynasty army.

For the people in mainland China, the Shimonoseki Treaty is a significant event, because it marks a major milestone in Taiwans evolution towards an independent nation state. In fact, shortly after(prenominal) the 1895 Treaty, a group of leading Taiwanese, aided by disobedient Ching dynasty officials, declared the formation of the Taiwan Republic, Asias first independent republic.

However, the Taiwan Republic was short-lived: Japanese imperial troops unkept the movement within several months. This ushered in half nose candy of Japanese rule, which only ended at the end of land War II. During this period, Taiwan was an integral part of the Japanese Empire.

At the cartridge clip of the Shimonoseki Treaty, Chinas claim on Taiwan was tenuous at scoop up: only a few years earlier, in 1887, the Ching dynasty -- fearing Japanese expansion towards the south -- had declared the island a province of the Manchu Empire. beforehand that time, Taiwan had been a loose lying area, inhabited by aborigines, pirates and some traders, and had not been formally incorporated in some(prenominal) political entity since the period of Dutch rule (1624-1662).

Goodbye to China demonstration

Thus, the Shimonoseki Treaty holds symbolic significance for the Taiwanese, and to commemorate the event, the Taiwan connector of University Professors organized a Farewell to China march in downtown Taipei on 16 April 1995.

More than 10,000 independence supporters participated in the event. They wore T-shirts printed with Chinese characters saying Farewell to China, and carried banners, calling for Taiwan membership in the United Nations...

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