Major Events April 17, 1895 August 15, 1945 October 25, 1945 October 24, 1946 December 25, 1946 February 28, 1947 April 18, 1948 December 10, 1948 May 20, 1949 November 20, 1949 December 8, 1949 June 25, 1950 December 2, 1954 March 11, 1960 May 18, 1960 September 4, 1960 October 8, 1960 September 20, 1964 December 16, 1966 October 5, 1967 December 10, 1969 October 25, 1971 January 10, 1972 December 23, 1972 April 5, 1975 August 1975 November 19, 1977 December 16, 1978 January 22, 1979 December 10, 1979 March 18, 1980 March 12, 1984 August 17, 1985 May 19, 1986 August 20, 1986 September 28, 1986 166 China cedes to Japan the island of Formosa (Taiwan) in the Treaty of Shimonoseki Japan announces unconditional surrender The Republic of China takes over Taiwan on behalf of the Allied Forces The United Nation is officially established. The Constitutional National Assembly passes the Constitution of the Republic of China in Nanjing The February 28 incident takes place in Taiwan The first National Assembly passes the Temporary Provisions Effective During the Period of Communist Rebellion The UN passes the Universal Declaration of Human Rights The Taiwan provincial government declares martial law The Free China bimonthly magazine is established in Taipei The ROC Executive Yuan agrees to move the capital to Taipei, Taiwan The Korean War begins The ROC and the US sign the Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty The National Assembly amends Article 3 of the Temporary Provisions Against the Communist Rebellion to stall constitutional provisions limiting presidential terms Free China and native-born Tangwai elites reached a consensus on starting a new political party. Free China founder Lei Chen and 4 others are framed with consorting with communists. Lei Chen is sentenced to 10 years of prison by a military court under charges like “spreading communist propaganda” NTU Professor Peng Ming-min and students Hsieh Tsung-min and Wei Ting-chao are arrested and jailed for writing the Declaration of Formosan Self-Salvation The UN passes the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights The ROC signs the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights First “supplementary” elections for public representatives in the central government The UN passes Resolution No.2758 Lei Chen writes Advice on Saving the Nation for Its Survival and sends it to President Chiang Kaishek and others First “supplementary” elections for elected representatives in the central government are held Death of Chiang Kai-shek Huang Hsin-chieh and Kang Ning-hsiang found Taiwan Political Theory, marking the start of Tangwai integration The Zhongli incident, the first mass protest on the streets under martial law The US announces that it will terminate diplomatic relations with the ROC government on January 1 of the following year The Chiaotou incident, the first demonstration march under martial law The Kaohsiung incident The Kaohsiung Incident Military Court Trial, the first public trial for insurrection in Taiwan. Cheng Nan-jung founds Freedom Era President Ronald Reagan signs the 1986 Foreign Relations Authorization Act, which includes a special section urging the Taiwanese government to implement democracy Cheng Nan-jung launches the May 19 Green Action to demand the lifting of martial law The chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee visits Taiwan and openly suggests for President Chiang-kuo to lift the political party ban and the martial law Tangwai activists establish the Democratic Progressive Party despite the political party ban October 7, 1986 February 4, 1987 July 15, 1987 October 12, 1987 January 1, 1988 April 7, 1989 January 3, 1990 March 16 to March 22, 1990 May 9, 1991 May 17, 1991 September 8, 1991 September 21, 1991 October 7, 1991 October 9, 1991 December 31, 1991 May 15, 1992 December 19, 1992 March 23, 1996 December 9, 1999 May 20, 2000 May 20, 2008 December 10, 2009 December 10, 2009 May 20, 2011 April 25, 2012 May 20, 2014 August 1, 2014 December 10, 2019 August 1, 2020 President Chiang Ching-kuo is interviewed by the Washington Post and reveals that the government will soon lift the martial law. Cheng Nan-jung launches the “Justice for the February 28 Incident” movement for the 40th anniversary of the February 28 incident Official announcement of the lifting of martial law The Tsai-Hsu Taiwanese independence incident The first Taiwanese independence case prosecuted by the High Prosecutors Office after martial law was lifted The press ban is lifted Cheng Nan-jung self-immolates to protest the lack of freedom of expression Huang Hua is arrested by the High Prosecutors Office for writing the Taiwan Independence Timetable The Wild Lily student movement initiates constitutional reforms The Taiwan Independence Association incident The Betrayers Punishment Act and Regulations on Reporting and Purging Communist Spies are repealed in the Legislative Yuan. The March for a Referendum to Rejoin the UN The 100 Action Alliance is established to demand the abolishment of the military parade and Article 100 of the Criminal Code The Legislative Yuan’s Judicial Committee passes the first reading of the draft to abolish Article 100 of the Criminal Code. To protest military police brutality against its members in front of the Presidential Office Building, the 100 Action Alliance stages a sit-in in front of NTU’s Basic Medical Science Building The terms of the first central government public representatives are officially terminated per Judicial Yuan Interpretation No. 261 The Legislative Yuan passes the amendment of Article 100 of the Criminal Code First complete re-election of the National Assembly First direct presidential election 22 civic organizations jointly form the Coalition for the Promotion of a National Human Rights Commission First transition of power between political parties in Taiwan. President Chen Shui-bian of the Democratic Progressive Party vows to build a human rights state and promote the establishment of the National Human Rights Commission The second transition of power between political parties in Taiwan. Ma Ying-jeou of the Kuomintang is sworn in as president The Act to Implement the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (“Act to Implement the Two Covenants”) officially came into effect Civil rights and human rights organizations founded Covenants Watch The Legislative Yuan passes the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women Enforcement Act President Ma Ying-jeou chairs a press conference on the first national report on the two covenants The Legislative Yuan passes the Convention on the Rights of the Child Enforcement Act The Legislative Yuan passes the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Enforcement Act The Legislative Yuan passes the Organic Act of the Control Yuan National Human Rights Commission Official opening of the National Human Rights Commission 167