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.