Taipei

In 1885 Governor LIU determined to reconstruct Taipei and make it the temporary capital until, the railway having on its way to Taiwan reached the old town of Changhua, in about the middle of Formosa, he should build a city near that place and make it, under the name of Taiwan, the capital of the province of Taiwan.

A century ago, the cities of Taipei County were rustic faming societies made up of mostly aboriginal tribes. After the Nationalists retreated to Taiwan in 1949 the area met with a vast influx of Chinese immigrants, and during the 1950s and 1960s small manufacturing facilities began appearing. Taipei County has since become a Taiwanese melting pot of sorts as young people relocate from overseas and southern parts of the island for advanced schooling and settle in the area.

In the Shanghai Communiqué of 1972, we recognized the fact that both Beijing and Taipei viewed Taiwan as part of China but unequivocally expressed our support for a peaceful settlement of the unification issue. While we should not alter the fundamental pillars of our policy, we should consider certain steps that will raise Taiwan's international standing.