Government
Name of country:
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Taiwan
local long form:
none
local short form:
T'ai-wan
Data code:
TW
Type of government:
multiparty democratic regime; opposition political parties legalized in March 1989
Capital:
Taipei
Administrative divisions:
some of the ruling party in Taipei claim to be the government of all China; in keeping with that claim, the central administrative divisions include 2 provinces (sheng, singular and plural) and 2 municipalities* (shih, singular and plural) - Fu-chien (some 20 offshore islands of Fujian Province including Quemoy and Matsu), Kao-hsiung*, T'ai-pei*, and Taiwan (the island of Taiwan and the Pescadores islands); note - the more commonly referenced administrative divisions are those of Taiwan Province - 16 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities* (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities** (chuan-shih, singular and plural); Chang-hua, Chia-i, Chia-i*, Chi-lung*, Hsin-chu, Hsin-chu*, Hua-lien, I-lan, Kao-hsiung, Kao-hsiung**, Miao-li, Nan-t'ou, P'eng-hu, P'ing-tung, T'ai-chung, T'ai-chung*, T'ai-nan, T'ai-nan*, T'ai-pei, T'ai-pei**, T'ai-tung, T'ao-yuan, and Yun-lin; the provincial capital is at Chung-hsing-hsin-ts'un
note:
Taiwan uses the Wade-Giles system for romanization
National holiday:
National Day, 10 October (1911) (Anniversary of the Revolution)
Constitution:
1 January 1947, amended in 1992, presently undergoing revision
Legal system:
based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President LI Teng-hui (succeeded to the presidency following the death of President CHIANG Ching-kuo 13 January 1988, elected by the National Assembly 21 March 1990, reelected by popular vote in the first-ever direct elections for president 23 March 1996); election last held 23 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2000); results - LI Teng-hui 54%, PENG Ming-min 21%, LIN Yang-kang 15%, and CHEN Li-an 10%; Vice President-elect LIEN Chan (to be inaugurated 20 May 1996)
head of government:
Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) LIEN Chan (since 23 February 1993) and Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) HSU Li-teh (since 23 February 1993) were appointed by the president; note - LIEN Chan will continue to serve as premier until 20 May 1996 when he will be inaugurated as vice president; a new premier is expected to be appointed sometime in May 1996
cabinet:
Executive Yuan was appointed by the president
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Yuan and unicameral National Assembly
Legislative Yuan:
elections last held 2 December 1995 (next to be held NA December 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (164 total) KMT 85, DPP 54, CNP 21, independents 4; note - since the election, there has been a change in the distribution of seats - KMT 83, DPP 54, CNP 21, independents 6
National Assembly:
elections last held 23 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2000); results - KMT 55%, DPP 30%, CNP 14%, other 1%; seats - (334 total) KMT 183, DPP 99, CNP 46, other 6
Judicial branch:
Judicial Yuan, justices nominated and appointed for nine-year terms by the president
Political parties and leaders:
Kuomintang (KMT, Nationalist Party), LI Teng-hui, chairman; Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), leader NA; Chinese New Party (CNP), leader NA; Labor Party (LP), leader NA
Other political or pressure groups:
Taiwan independence movement, various environmental groups
note:
debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization and the increased representation of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan's legislature have opened public debate on the island's national identity; advocates of Taiwan independence, both within the DPP and the ruling Kuomintang, oppose the ruling party's traditional stand that the island will eventually unify with mainland China; the aims of the Taiwan independence movement include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the UN; other organizations supporting Taiwan independence include the World United Formosans for Independence and the Organization for Taiwan Nation Building
International organization participation:
APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, IOC, WCL, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in US:
none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through a private instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) with headquarters in Taipei and field offices in Washington and 10 other US cities
US diplomatic representation:
none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of Taiwan are maintained through a private institution, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which has offices in Taipei at #7, Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, telephone [886] (2) 709-2000, FAX [886] (2) 702-7675, and in Kao-hsiung at #2 Chung Cheng 3d Road, telephone [886] (7) 224-0154 through 0157, FAX [886] (7) 223-8237, and the American Trade Center at Room 3207 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei 10548, telephone [886] (2) 720-1550
Flag:
red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays
