Draft:Republic of Taiwan Provisional Government

Republic of Taiwan Provisional Government
1956–1977
Flag
Status	Provisional government、Government-in-exile
Capital	Taipei(Claimed)
Capital-in-exile	Tokyo
Common languages	Taiwanese
Government	Republic
President
• 1956－1965	Thomas Liao(廖文毅) (First President)
• 1976－1977	Lin Taiyuan(林台元) (Last President)
Legislature	The Provisional National Assembly (Republic of Taiwan)
Historical era	Cold War
• Establish	28 February 1956
• Disband	7 January 1977

The Republic of Taiwan Provisional Government was a political organization engaged in the Taiwan independence movement, serving as a Government-in-exile. It was established in 1956 in Tokyo, Japan, under the leadership of Thomas Liao, a Taiwanese PhD graduate from the United States and dissolved in 1977. From the mid-1950 to the early 1960, it was one of the major overseas organizations in the Taiwan independence movement.

Establishment

The Taiwan Minpao, reporting on the establishment of Republic of Taiwan Provisional Government, its declaration of Taiwanese independence, and the election of Thomas Liao as its President.

Five founding members of the government in 1956. Thomas Liao is seated on the left.

After the Formosan League for Reemancipation in February 1950, Thomas Liao smuggled himself into Japan via the Philippines. He was immediately arrested by the Allied Occupation Forces in Japan for "illegal entry and engaging in unlawful political activities". While in prison, Liao joined forces with Taiwanese groups in Japan, meeting with Huang Nan-peng, Chen Che-min, Lin Chun-chang, and others to reorganize the Formosan League for Reemancipation. On May 17 of the same year, the Formosan Democratic Independence Party (FDIP) was formed at the Kanda YMCA in Tokyo, claiming 1,400 members and becoming the center of the Taiwan independence movement in Japan at that time. In 1955, Thomas Liao himself attended the Asian-African Conference held in Bandung, Indonesia, as the chairman of the Formosan Democratic Independence Party.

Subsequently, in order to draw public attention, Taiwanese independence activists deemed it necessary to establish an exile organization consisting of a provisional parliament or provisional government, to establish a representative organization for Taiwan independence movement. On 1 September 1955, the Provisional National Assembly of the Republic of Taiwan was formally established, with Liao elected as honorary chairman, Wu Chen-nan (吳振南) as chairman, and Cheng Wan-fu (鄭萬福) as Vice Chairman. On November 27, the Provisional National Assembly of the Republic of Taiwan passed "The Temporary Government Organization Treaty of the Republic of Taiwan". In accordance with this treaty, the Taiwan Provisional National Assembly was renamed Provisional National Assembly of the Republic of Taiwan on January 15, 1956. In 1956, Liao and others, in collaboration with Chien Wen-chieh (簡文介) of the Formosan Democratic Independence Party, announced the formal establishment of the Provisional Government on the 9th Anniversary of the February 28 Incident, in Tokyo, Japan. At the founding assembly, Liao was elected as President, Wu as Vice President, and Chien as Secretary-General of the government. In addition to the heads of various government departments, the Taiwan Republic Provisional National Assembly was also organized, with Kuo Tai-cheng (郭泰成) serving as its Chairman.

The Provisional Government of the Republic of Taiwan demanded the realization of Taiwan independence under the principle of national self-determination. Many of its members are Taiwanese political participants who fled to Japan after the war, as well as businessmen and students studying abroad. On August 1 of the same year, the Provisional Constitution of the Republic of Taiwan. In Liao's work, "Taiwan Nationalism", he proposed that the Republic of Taiwan represents the third nation-building movement of the Taiwanese people, following the Kingdom of Tungning and the Republic of Formosa.

Activities

Overseas activities

The Taiwan Minpao (臺灣民報》was founded in 1953 with Liu Na-ming (劉吶明) as its editor-in-chief. After the establishment of the Provisional Government, it became the official government newspaper. While the Provisional Government did not receive recognition from any country, it garnered support from many overseas Taiwanese people. Several countries also welcomed its leaders as representatives of a government-in-exile 。On August 31, 1957, Tunku Abdul Rahman, the Prime Minister of Malaya, invited Liao to attend the independence celebration in the capacity of 'President of the Republic of Taiwan Provisional Government. 其中陳智雄更曾擔任台灣共和國臨時政府東南亞巡迴大使。 Many Taiwanese residing in Japan also became members.

Taiwan domestic activities

In 1948, influenced by Thomas Liao, Liao Shih-hao and Huang Chi-nan returned from British Hong Kong to Taiwan and began to recruit like-minded individuals on the island, spreading awareness of Taiwan independence movement. Within the organization inside Taiwan, Liao Shih-hao, Huang, and Chung Chien-shun were responsible for activities in the Taipei area; Joseph Kao (偕約瑟) was responsible for Keelung; Wen Yen-wen (溫炎煋) was responsible for Central Taiwan, Hsu Chao-ching (許朝卿) was based in the Tainan and Chiayi regions, and Hsu Chien-hsiung (許劍雄) in the Kaohsiung area.

Result

However, the Provisional Government of the Republic of Taiwan faced financial difficulties and internal divisions. Additionally, the base of the overseas Taiwan independence movement gradually shifted from Japan to the United States. Furthermore, internal disputes within the Provisional Government of the Republic of Taiwan weakened its appeal, leading to a decline in its influence. In May 1965, after Thomas Liao returned to Taiwan and "surrendered" to the Government of the Republic of China, Kuo Tai-cheng (郭泰成) succeeded as the President, with Lin Tai-yuan (林台元) serving as the Vice President.

In October 1966, the next Vice President, Wu Chen-nan (吳振南), returned to Taiwan and "surrendered" to the Government of the Republic of China.

On October 8, 1976, after Kuo died of illness, Lin succeeded as the President. Three months later, on January 7, 1977, Lin died as well, leading to the Provisional Government's eventual dissolution.

Presidents

• Thomas Liao (廖文毅)：February 28, 1956 - May 14, 1965
• Kuo Tai-cheng (郭泰成)：July 15, 1965 - October 8, 1976
• Lin Tai-yuan (林台元)：October 8, 1976 - January 7, 1977

See also

• Taiwan independence movement
• Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea
• Overseas Taiwanese
• Taiwanese Americans
• List of Taiwanese Americans

Further reading

• 臺灣共和國（東京）臨時政府旗「藍底白色日月旗」 Archived 2020-01-31 at the Wayback Machine

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• Taiwan
• Taiwan independence movement