Talk:Republic of Formosa

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The Treaty of Shimonoseki was signed on April 17, 1895 in Japan.

The article states "The republic was proclaimed by a group of pro-Qing high officials and members of the local gentry, many of whom fled the island upon Japan's invasion."

At that point in time, Taiwan is known as Taiwan by the Qing imperial dynasty.

1. How is "Táiwān Mínzhǔguó" translated into English as the "Republic of Formosa" or the "Formosa Republic". How does the idea of "Formosa" dawn on the handful of pro-Qing officials?

2. "Pro-Qing" officials? Under Qing rule, there can only be Qing officials. It does not matter whether these people are mainlanders or islanders so long as they serve and assert Qing sovereignty over the island. The corollary of pro-Qing is anti-Qing. Agreed, that there can be still be an anti-Qing movement in Taiwan some 250 years after the fall of the Ming in 1644 (the revolt of the remnants of Ming Chinese in southern China in 1673 was put down by Kangxi).

3. Sun's revolutionary movement in 1894 was still very young. After a failed coup in 1895 Sun was running around in Europe and North America as a fugitive of the Qing government. Could his ideas inspire the "pro-Qing" officials or the anti-Qing movement in Taiwan? If not, what could have inspired the declaration of the "Repunlic of Formosa" by the few? Where and what then are the sources of republicanism and its ideals for a Republic of Formosa? What then is the executive power and authority of the so-called presidents (Tang Ching-sung and Liu Yung-fu)? What are the programs of the president for the republic?

4. In the twilight period of 6 months between April 17, the signing of the Treaty and October 21, 1895, before Japan took effective occupation replacing the Qing government on the island, the gentry were evacuating the island. In an increasingly absence of governing authority, can a "republic" be assumed to have been borned?—The preceding unsigned comment was added by 67.70.62.27 (talk • contribs).

Re:

Question 1: I assume the name "Formosa" is used here to avoid misunderstanding with the modern proposals of the establishment of the Republic of Taiwan.

Question 2. "Pro-Qing" in this context means that the Qing officials who were proclaiming the Republic did it mainly as an act of loyalty towards Chinese Empire and the ruling Qing dynasty. They did not really want to create an independent state, and cut themselves off China. It was China, which gave up the island, together with the inhabitants, who were not exactly happy about this.

Question 3. As far as I know there was no cennection between the people who established the Republic and Sun's movement; they also did not appear to have any ideology etc. They mainly did not want to be a part of the Japanese Empire. There was no true executive power of the Presidents: first ran to China with the treasury 10 days after proclamation. The second was a nominal president, but in fact he was a commander of the troops, which had been sent earlier to Taiwan from Yunnan province. He had the powers of commanding officer and commanded his and local troops in fights against the Japanese. When he finally lost the war, he also escaped to China.

Question 4: there were some gentry evacuating, but many stayed. During the period before October 21 there was a pretty heavy fighting on in the island. The "Republic" has never beed formed as a state, excpet for proclamation; but Liu used the title whe commanding his troops. See above.—The preceding unsigned comment was added by 81.219.151.3 (talk • contribs).