1635 Dutch colonial forces on Taiwan launch a pacification campaign against native villages, resulting in Dutch control of the middle and south of the island.
1652 Around 15,000 Han farmers and militia rebel against Dutch rule on Taiwan.
1662 The Chinese general Koxinga seizes the island of Taiwan after a nine-month siege.
1683 The Qing Dynasty naval commander Shi Lang reaches Taiwan (under the Kingdom of Tungning) to receive the formal surrender of Zheng Keshuang and Liu Guoxuan after the Battle of Penghu.
1895 The Treaty of Shimonoseki between China and Japan is signed. This marks the end of the First Sino-Japanese War, and the defeated Qing Empire is forced to renounce its claims on Korea and to concede the southern portion of the Fengtien province, Taiwan and the Pescadores Islands to Japan.
1945 The Republic of China takes over administration of Taiwan following Japan's surrender to the Allies.
1947 228 Incident: In Taiwan, civil disorder is put down with the loss of 30,000 civilian lives.
1949 The Kuomintang regime declares martial law in Taiwan.
1949 Chinese Civil War: The People's Liberation Army begins its siege of Chengdu, the last Kuomintang-held city in mainland China, forcing President of the Republic of China Chiang Kai-shek and his government to retreat to Taiwan.
1964 The Republic of China (Taiwan) breaks off diplomatic relations with France.
1972 The Universal Postal Union decides to recognize the People's Republic of China as the only legitimate Chinese representative, effectively expelling the Republic of China administering Taiwan.
1978 U.S. President Jimmy Carter announces that the United States will recognize the People's Republic of China and cut off all relations with Taiwan
1995 Third Taiwan Strait Crisis: The People's Liberation Army begins firing missiles into the waters north of Taiwan.
1996 Taiwan holds its first direct elections and chooses Lee Teng-hui as President.
1998 An Air China jetliner is hijacked by disgruntled pilot Yuan Bin and flown to Taiwan.
1999 Chi-Chi earthquake occurs in central Taiwan, leaving about 2,400 people dead.
2002 Taiwan officially joins the World Trade Organization, as Chinese Taipei.
2004 A whale explodes in the town of Tainan, Taiwan. A build-up of gas in the decomposing sperm whale is suspected of causing the explosion.
2004 Over 1 million Taiwanese participating in the 228 Hand-in-Hand Rally form a 500-kilometre (300-mile) long human chain to commemorate the 228 Incident in 1947
2004 3-19 Shooting Incident: Taiwanese president Chen Shui-bian is shot just before the country's presidential election on March 20.
2005 The first direct commercial flights from mainland China (from Guangzhou) to Taiwan since 1949 arrived in Taipei. Shortly afterwards, a China Airlines flight lands in Beijing.
2005 The Taiwanese government calls on 1 million Taiwanese to demonstrate in Taipei, in opposition to the Anti-Secession Law of the People's Republic of China. Around 200,000 to 300,000 attend the demonstration.
2008 Cross-strait charter direct flight between mainland China and Taiwan started.