Taiwan (1983: Doomsday)

The Chinese Republic of Taiwan is a nation in East Asia, the successor state to the pre-Doomsday Republic of China

Pre-Doomsday
For centuries, Taiwan was ruled by mainland China until 1895, when it was ceded to Japan after the First Sino-Japanese War. It remained a Japanese colony until 1945, when it was returned to Chinese jurisdiction. After the Chinese Civil War of 1948, the defeated Nationalists evacuated to Taiwan to make a last stand. The invasion never came, and from that time until Doomsday, the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China faced each other along to Taiwan Strait. Change was coming to Taiwan in the years before Doomsday. Dictator Chiang Kai-Shek died in 1975, and Taiwan was beginning a process of political liberalization, though the process was going too slowly for most.

Doomsday and Aftermath
On Doomsday, the People's Republic of China-fearing that the rival Republic of China based in Taiwan would claim their territory after Doomsday-launched a single nuclear missile at the city of Taipei. The inner circle of the Kuomintang was annihilated by the strike. However, the rest of the island escaped unscathed, giving Taiwan a legitimate chance of recovery. The remnants of the KMT teamed up with pro-democracy forces who, only months before, protested the KMT's grip on power. In October of 1983, a new government was formed in the city of T'aian. The Chinese Republic of Taiwan was proclaimed, the "Chinese" part indicating its status as the successor of the old ROC, and the "Taiwan" part emphasizing the island's new role as the center of the Chinese people.

Post-Doomsday
In 1985, the remaining population of Taipei County, Taoyuan County, and Keelung City were evacuated and these areas were placed under "indefinite quarantine".

The new republic spent the remainder of the decade focusing on attaining self-suffenciency. New alternative energy sources were implemented. Protectionism became the norm. In contrast to the survival-oriented eighties, the nineties were marked by rising prosperity. Although the country's fortunes were rising: people remained uncertain about the state of the rest of the world. It was unknown whether any other parts of the world still had organized government. Apart from knowledge of Filipino merchant ships in the south, many Taiwanese believed that they were the last nation-state on Earth-and possibly the last surviving humans on Earth.

In 1993, however, a Taiwanese commercial boat made contact with a ship from the Philippines. Diplomatic ties were established. The Philippines, who had been preoccupied with events to the south, recognized Taiwanese control over the Spratly Islands.

In 1996, the quarantine on Taoyuan County and the southern part of Taipei County was lifted, after several scientific expeditions determined these regions were safe for habitation. In a show of national resolve, the Taipei Parliement passed a resolution calling for a building a new capital, named "New Taipei" in this region.

In March 1998, radio signals were detected from the coast of Mainland China. The Taiwanese government traced the signals to the city of Fuzhou. The city had avoided nuclear attack on Doomsday, and had attempted to survive as an independent city-state. Living standards were low, however, and the government was autocratic. A Fuzhou citizen had assembled an amateur radio system and sent out signals in hopes of finding other organized communities to help the city-state. As the Taiwanese approached, the Fuzhou authorities sensed a threat to their power and prepared to drive them off. When the Taiwanese navy approached, they were greeted with gunfire. The backwards dictatorial government, however, didn't stand a chance. The Taiwanese army overwhelmed all resistance, toppling the Fuzhou regime. The people were given a choice in a referendum: unite with Taiwan, become a semi-independent protectorate, or maintain full independence. The referendum was held in June, and the results announced in September. The people of Fuzhou voted 55% to become a Taiwanese protectorate.

Present Day
In 2000, Taiwan made contact with Hawaii. This gave Taiwan a gateway for contact with the ANZC. In 2003, contact was made with the USSR.

In 2001, construction of New Taipei and the repair of infrastructure around the new city began.

Throughout the 2000s Taiwan continued aiding towns and toppling communist or authoritarian city states along the coast of the former Fujian province, but stopped efforts in 2008 to consolidate its holdings along the coast, rebuild infrastructure, and establish defences so as not to overextend themselves holding chaotic and useless terrain. These holdings, along with Taiwan, have become a haven for thousands of Chinese refugees fleeing perpetual warfare in the mainland.

When the League of Nations was founded in 2008, Taiwan declined to participate. The Taiwanese were suspicious of internaional bodies in general, due to memories of the UN's betrayal in 1971.

In January 2010, the Taiwanese government officially moved the capital to New Taipei; a new city 60 kilometers southwest of the destroyed original.

Government

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Taiwan is a democratic union governed by a Head of State and a Leading Minister. Elections are considered fair and legitimate, though any parties following Communist ideology are banned due to the legacy of Doomsday. The main political parties are the Kuomintang (Nationalist Party), Taiwan's Peoples Party and Taiwan's Socialist Party that is currently in power.

Economy
The Taiwanese economy is similar to OTL, very strong and based on small, adaptable companies.

Prior to Doomsday, Taiwan had entered a period of economic growth known as the "Taiwan Miracle." Although Doomday had temporarily stunted economic growth, the nation recovered and the economic boom picked up where it left off.

Taiwan's main agricultural products are rice, fish, pork, sugar cane, tropical fruits and vegtables.

In 2002, it began to export green tea to the Oceanic region. As Taiwan is one of the few remaining known sources of tea, this has been a tremendous boom to its economy. Its popularity has increased due to claims (highly disputed) that green tea can cure radiation-related cancer.

Of particular importance to Taiwan are the resource-rich Spratly Islands. Disputed prior to Doomsday, Taiwanese control over the islands was solidified after Doomsday, although there is debate with the Philippines over territorial extent here. The archipelago's oil reserves have proven vital to Taiwan's transportation industry, though fears of exhausting reserves has led to research into alternative fuels.

Sport
Baseball is the national sport of Taiwan, a legacy of decades of Japanese rule. A six team professional league is based in Taiwan. There is also a Little League competition throught the country. Other popular team sports are association football, basketball, field hockey and handball.

Various martial arts, such as taekwondo, karate, and kung fu are popular as both spectator and participatory sports.

International Relations
The Taiwanese government maintains a policy of neutrality in international affairs. It has stayed out of the League of Nations, claiming the organization is simply being used to advance the ANZC's own foreign policy agenda, and has critized the growing competition between the ANZC and the South American Confederation.