Kuomintang News Network

1894-1935

1894	November 24th	Dr. Sun Yat-sen brings together overseas Chinese activists in Honolulu to form the Revive China Society. His intention is to revive China’s economic and moral strength and save the nation from chaos. Liu Hsiang (劉祥) is elected Chairman and Ho Kuan (何寬), Vice Chairman, in line with the society’s charter.
1895	February 21st	The Revive China Society sets up a center of operations in Hong Kong, and the society manifesto is revised.
	March 16th	A council of the Revive China Society decides that Guangdong Province will serve as a starting point for revolutionary activities. The ‘White Sun in Blue Sky’ (青天白日) revolutionary flag is adopted by the society.
	May 25th	Compatriots in Taiwan raise troops to fight in the war of resistance against the Japanese.
	October 26th	A revolutionary uprising carried out by the Revive China Society in Guangdong Province fails.
1896	October 11th	Dr. Sun Yat-sen journeys to Great Britain to visit friends and travel around the country. In London, he is abducted by the Qing government and held prisoner in their legation.
1897	July 2nd	Dr. Sun Yat-sen travels in Europe, engaging in a concerted study of the politics and societies of different European countries. He forms the theory of the Three Principles of the People and leaves Europe.
1897	Mid-November	Chen Shao-bai (陳少白), a member of the Revive China Society, is sent to Taiwan to expand the society’s presence there. He wins the support of Wu Wen-Siu (吳文秀), Chao Man-chao (趙滿朝) and Rong Qi-nien (容祺年), among others, and sets up a branch of the society in Taipei.
1900	September 28th	Dr. Sun Yat-sen travels from Kobe in Japan to Taiwan to direct an uprising.
1900	October 6th	An uprising occurs in Huichou (惠州) in Guangdong Province.
1901	September 7th	The Qing government is forced to sign the humiliating Boxer Protocol by the Eight-Nation Alliance.
1903	November 4th	Huang Hsing (黃興) is among those who form the ‘Society for China’s Revival’ (華興會) in Changsha in Hunan Province.
1904	Autumn	Tsai Yuan-pei (蔡元培), with other revolutionaries, founds the ‘Restoration Society’ (光復會) in Shanghai.
1905	August 20th	The Revolutionary Alliance (中國同盟會) is founded in Tokyo. Dr. Sun Yat-sen is appointed as its leader to command future revolutionary activities.
1905	November 26th	The Revolutionary Alliance begins publishing The People Bulletin (民報) from Tokyo. Dr. Sun Yat-sen sets forth the theory of the Three Principles of the People in the opening statement of the new publication. He declares that the realization of the theory should be the aim of the revolution.
1906	December 2nd	At an anniversary meeting for The People Bulletin in Tokyo, Dr. Sun Yat-sen gives a speech entitled “The Three Principles of the People and the Future of the Chinese People” (三民主義與中國民族之前途). He explains the theory of the People’s Livelihood and, for the first time, outlines the Five Rights Constitution (五權憲法).?
1906	Winter	The Revolutionary Alliance draws up plans, telling its supporters around China to coordinate their revolutionary activities.
1907	December 2nd	Dr. Sun Yat-sen leads Huang Hsing and other supporters to Zhennan Pass (鎮南關) in Guanghsi Province to carry out an uprising.
1908	Autumn	The Revolutionary Alliance establishes the Nanyang branch in Singapore. The alliance better incorporates its divergent centers of operation into an integrated whole and expands its influence.
1909	December	A chapter of The Revolutionary Alliance is set up in New York.
1910	November 13th	In Penang, Malaya, Dr. Sun Yat-sen convenes a council of the alliance. It decides to begin raising funds to stage a single large-scale uprising in Guangchou (廣州).
1911	April 27th	Huang Hsing leads nearly a hundred fellow revolutionaries in an uprising in Guangchou. They manage to force their way into the residence of the viceroy of Guangdong and Guanghsi but are heavily outnumbered by opposing Qing soldiers and suffer defeat. The dead are all high-ranking members of the alliance but the effects of their bold attack reverberates around the country. This marks the tenth uprising that Dr. Sun Yat-sen has led. It is later known as the Revolt of Yellow Flower Mound (黃花岡之役). Previous to this, many compatriots in Taiwan show their support by giving money and effort to the revolution; like local celebrity Lin Wei-ge (林薇閣) from Dadao Cheng (大稻埕), Taipei. Still others take more concrete action, like Xu Zan-yuan (許贊元) of Tainan and Lo Fu-hsing (羅福星) of Miaoli, who both take part in the uprising.
	October 10th	In Hubei Province, a revolutionary army loyal to the cause revolts in Wuchang. Soon, other provinces are sounding to the clamor of revolution.
	December 29th	Dr. Sun Yat-sen is elected President of the provisional government of the Republic of China by representatives from each of the provinces.
1912	January 1st	The Republic of China is founded. In Nanjing, Dr. Sun Yat-sen is sworn in as President.
	February 2nd	The Emperor announces his abdication and the imperial system of government comes to an end.
	March 11th	Dr. Sun Yat-sen, now President, promulgates the Provisional Constitution of the Republic of China.
	August 25th	In Beijing, the Revolutionary Alliance and four other political parties combine to form the Kuomintang. Dr. Sun Yat-sen is elected chairman.
1913	March 20th	Acting president of the Kuomintang Song Jiao-ren is stabbed in Shanghai train station. He dies two days later.
	July 12th	In Jianghsi Province, the Kuomintang launches a punitive expedition—known as the Second Revolution—in an attempt to remove President Yuan Shi-kai, in response to his unconstitutional abuses of power in government. However, after two months, the revolution ends in failure.
	Early August	Dr. Sun Yat-sen, Hu Han-min (胡漢民) and others travel to Japan, passing through Taiwan on the way.
	Autumn	Incensed at Yuan Shi-kai’s continued abuses of power, crypto members of the Kuomintang in Taiwan Weng Jun-ming (翁俊明) and Du Cong-ming (杜聰明) head to Beijing undercover, plotting to poison the President.
1914	January 10th	Yuan Shi-kai dissolves parliament, establishing himself in sole control.
	March 3rd	Anti-Japanese revolutionary fighter Lo Fu-hsing dies fighting for the cause in Taiwan.
	July 8th	The Chinese Revolutionary Party is formed in Tokyo, with Dr. Sun Yat-sen as Chairman. They make plans to carry out a third revolution to again try to oust Yuan Shi-kai.
1915	December 5th	In Shanghai, Chen Qi-mei (陳其美), Chiang Kai-shek and others instigate the Chao Ho revolt against Yuan using a warship called the Chao Ho.
1915	December 25th	In Yunnan Province, the newly formed National Protection Army revolts. They demand that Yuan stop his plans to re-establish imperial rule.
1916	Mach 22nd	Yuan Shi-kai announces the cancellation of the imperial system after 83 days on the throne as Emperor of China.
1916	June 9th	Dr. Sun Yat-sen issues “Manifesto in Support of the Provisional Constitution” (擁護約法宣言). He advocates returning to the Republic of China.
1917	February 21st	Dr. Sun Yat-sen writes “The First Step in Democracy” (民權初步), a book on rule of order.
1917	September 10th	In Guangchou, Dr. Sun Yat-sen assumes the position of Generalissimo of the Military Government of the Republic of China. He seeks to reinstate the Republic.
1918	Early June	Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s suffers setbacks in his efforts to reunify the country and passes through Taiwan on his way to Japan.
1918	December 30th	In Shanghai, Dr. Sun Yat-sen writes “The Treatises of Sun Yat-sen” (孫文學說).
1919	May 4th	Students in Beijing hold a patriotic campaign with the slogan “Eliminate traitors from within and resist big powers from without” (內除國賊外抗強權). The entire country responds, and people from all walks of life support it. It later becomes known as the May Fourth Movement (五四運動). The Kuomintang expresses its full support for the movement.
1919	October 10th	The Chinese Revolutionary Party changes its name to the Kuomintang of China. It locates its headquarters in the French Concession in Shanghai.
1921	May 5th	The Military Government of the Republic of China reorganizes itself into the official government. Dr.Sun Yat-sen becomes ‘Extraordinary President’ (非常大總統).
1922	May 9th	In Shaoguan (韶關), Dr. Sun Yat-sen rallies his supporters in preparation for the Northern Expedition.
1922	June 16th	In Guangchou, Commander-in-Chief of the Guangdong Army Chen Jiongming (陳炯明) defects, attacking Dr. Sun Yat-sen at his residence. ?The President manages to escape on a warship and directs retaliatory action, beating back Chen’s forces. Chiang Kai-shek arrives in Guangdong to help Dr. Sun Yat-sen.
1924	January 20th	The Kuomintang holds their first ever National Congress in Guangchou. A policy to work with the Soviets and accommodate the Chinese communists is formally adopted.
1924	June 16th	In Guangchou, the Whampoa Military Acadamy, set up by the Kuomintang, holds its opening ceremony.
1925	March 12th	Dr. Sun Yat-sen dies in Beijing. Taiwanese students Hong Yan-chiu (洪炎秋), Ye Xian-yu (蘇薌雨) and other student representatives deliver an elegy to Dr. Sun Yat-sen: “Who can lead the three million Taiwanese people now that they have lost a great man? Our generation will carry on the uncompleted work of our motherland” (三百萬臺灣剛醒同胞唯先生何人領導，四十年祖國未竟事業舍我輩其誰分擔).
1925	July 1st	The Kuomintang sets up the National Government in Guangchou.
1926	January	The Kuomintang holds its second National Congress. Chiang Kai-shek is elected to the Central Executive Committee for the first time.
1926	July 9th	The National Revolutionary Army rallies in Guangchou in preparation for the commencement of the Northern Expedition.
1927	April 12th	In Shanghai, the Kuomintang carries out a purge, removing communist members from the party.
1927	April 18th	The National Government relocates the capital to Nanjing.
1928	June 8th	The National Revolutionary Army recovers Beijing from control of warlords and it is announced that the Northern Expedition has been successfully completed.
	October 3rd	The Kuomintang implements and begins to promote its program of political tutelage for the people (訓政綱領).
	October 10th	The National Government of the Republic of China is set up. Chiang Kai-shek is sworn in as President of the National Government along with heads of the five branches of government (五院院長).
	December 29th	The “White Sun in Blue Sky over Crimson Background” national flag flies in Manchuria and the country is finally wholly united.
1929	March 15th	The third Kuomintang National Congress opens in Nanjing, running until the 28th. Among the motions adopted is the Program for a Phase of Political Tutelage (訓政時期綱領).
1931	November 12th	In Nanjing, the fourth Kuomintang National Congress opens and runs until the 23rd. Motions are passed to organize a conference on national calamites and set up measures to present united resistance against aggression.
1934	February 19th	In Nanchang, Chiang Kai-shek launches the New Life Movement (新生活運動).
1935	November 12th	The fifth Kuomintang National Congress takes place in Nanjing and concludes on the 23rd. Rules for Members of the Kuomintang of China: Twelve Articles (中國國民黨黨員守則) and a motion calling for a revision of the constitution to be drafted are adopted.

1936-1982

1936	May 5th	The National Government passes the Constitutional Draft of the Republic of China, called the “May 5th Constitutional Draft” (五五憲草)。
1936	December 12th	In Xian, Chiang Kai-shek is abducted and held by Marshal Chang Hsue-liang (張學良) and Yang Hu-cheng (楊虎城) until the 25th, when he is released. This event later becomes known as the Xian Incident.
1937	July 7th	In a Beijing suburb, the Japanese army, looking to provoke confrontation, bombards Wanping County from the Marco Polo Bridge. The Japanese then attempt to take the town. The National Army of the Republic of China puts up fierce resistance, and the first fighting in the War of Resistance Against Japan is initiated. This event is later known as the “July 7th Incident” (七七事變).
1938	March 29th	In Wuchang, the Kuomintang convenes an emergency National Congress. Guidelines on fighting the War of Resistance and national reconstruction are formulated. Chiang Kai-shek is elected Director-General of the Kuomintang, and Wang Qing-wei (汪精衛) Deputy Director-General of the Kuomintang. Motions are passed to set up a National Political Participation Council (國民參政會) and a youth organization called Three Principles of the People Youth Corps (三民主義青年團).
	July 6th	The National Political Participation Council holds its first meeting in Hanko (漢口).
	July 9th	The Three Principles of the People Youth Corps is formally set up. Chiang Kai-shek acts as head of the organization and Chen Cheng (陳誠) as secretary-general.
1940	April 1st	The National Government posthumously bestows the title “Founding Father of the Republic” upon Dr. Sun Yat-sen.
1941	February 10th	The Revolutionary Alliance Conference of Taiwan (台灣革命同盟會) is set up in Chongqing, under the direction of the Kuomintang. Its guiding purpose is to focus all of Taiwan’s revolutionary power to topple Japanese imperialism; restore Taiwan to glory; and unite in effort with the motherland to establish a new China based on the Three Principles of the People.
1941	December 9th	The Republic of China officially declares war on the Axis powers of Japan, Germany and Italy, following the start of the Pacific War.
1942	January 3rd	The Allies make Chiang Kai-shek Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in the China theater, which includes Thailand and Vietnam.
1943	August1st	Chairman of the National Government Lin Sen (林森) dies.
	October 10th	Chiang Kai-shek becomes Chairman of the National Government.
	November 23rd	Chiang Kai-shek travels to Egypt to attend the four-day Cairo Conference. There, he meets U.S.? President Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Churchill. In early December, it is announced that upon Japan’s surrender, Taiwan, Penghu and Manchuria will be restored to the Republic of China。 In Zhangchou (漳州), Fujian Province, the Taiwan Branch of the Kuomintang affiliated directly with the party central (中央直屬臺灣黨部) is founded. Song Jun-ming (翁俊明) becomes Director and starts about conducting Taiwan operations.
1945	May 5th	The Kuomintang’s sixth National Congress takes place in Chongqing. It outlines keynotes for national reconstruction and constitutional matters after the war. Hsieh Dong-wen (謝東閔) represents Taiwan at the congress.
	August 14th	Japan surrenders. On the same day, the Republic of China and the Soviet Union sign the Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Alliance.
	October 25th	Taiwan is returned to the Republic of China.
1946	November 15th	The National Assembly of the Republic of China opens in Nanjing, tasked with creating a new constitution. Representatives from Taiwan include Chang Qi-lang (張七郎).
1946	December 25th	The National Assembly of the Republic of China ratifies the new Constitution of the Republic of China.
1947	January 1st	The National Government promulgates the Constitution of the Republic of China.
	February 27th	The 2/28 Incident takes place in Taipei, leading to province-wide civil disorder in Taiwan.
	December 25th	The Constitution of the Republic of China comes into effect. The phase of “political tutelage” comes to an end and a constitutional era is entered.
1948	May 20th	Chiang Kai-shek and Li Tsung-jen (李宗仁) are sworn in as the first President and Vice President, respectively, of the Republic of China under the new constitution.
1949	January 21st	Chiang Kai-shek steps down as President, taking a leave of absence, in order to pursue a campaign of restoring the strength of the country. Li Tsung-jen takes over as Acting President.?
	April 12th	A program to reduce land rent to 37.5 % for tenants (三七五減租) is initiated in Taiwan as part of a wider land reform drive.
	December 10th	Following the government of the Republic of China, the Kuomintang relocates to Taiwan. Kuomintang Party headquarters are set up at No. 11 Zhongshan South Road.
1950	March 1st	In Taipei, Chiang Kai-shek resumes his duties as President.
	July 2nd	Taiwan begins local self-rule.
	August 5th	The Kuomintang Central Reform Commission is established. It begins to enforce party reform.
1952	October 10th	In Taipei, the Kuomintang holds its seventh National Congress, running until the 20th. During the congress, it is announced that a two-year period of? party reform has been completed.
1953	January 26th	The President proclaims the “Land-to-the-Tiller Program” (實施耕者有其田條例)
1953	November 14th	President Chiang Kai-shek releases “Two Supplemental Essays on Educational and Recreational Activities under the Principle of the People’s Livelihood” (民生主義育樂兩篇補述).
1954	December 1st	The Republic of China and the United States sign a mutual defense treaty. The pact increases military cooperation between the two powers and guarantees the security of Taiwan.
1957	October 10th	In Taipei, the Kuomintang holds its eighth National Congress. It runs until the 23rd.? The congress continues Chiang Kai-shek’s tenure as Director General of the KMT and also makes Chen Cheng (陳誠) his Deputy.
1958	August 23 rd	The Communist Chinese initiate large-scale artillery bombardment of Kinmen in preparation for invasion. The government launches a strong counterattack, maintaining Taiwan’s security.
1963	October 10th	Taiwan Television Corporation begins broadcasting. Taiwan enters a new age of communication.
1963	February 15th	The Kuomintang completes a general registration of party members.
1966	February 19th	The fourth session of the first National Assembly is held in Taipei. It runs until the 25th of February. Chiang Kai-shek is elected to a fourth term as President of the Republic of China. Yen Chia-kan (嚴家淦) is elected Vice President.
1968	September 9th	A national-nine year program of compulsory education is implemented in Taiwan.
1969	March 29th	In Taipei, the Kuomintang holds the ninth National Congress. It runs until the 9th of April. A party reform charter is adopted and a provision providing for a Vice Chairman is scrapped.
1969	December 20th	Voting takes place simultaneously across Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu in by-elections for the National Assembly of the Free Area of the Republic of China and for Legislative Yuan legislators.
1971	October 25th	The Republic of China withdraws from the United Nations.
1972	March 21st	The National Assembly elects Chiang Kai-shek President of the Republic of China for the fifth term. Yen Chia-kan is elected Vice President.
1972	May 29h	A session of the Kuomintang Central Standing Committee adopts a petition signed by Premier Chiang Ching-kuo to recruit more people of Taiwan provincial origin to the government. At this time, people of Taiwan provincial origin in government include: Vice Premier Hsu Ching-chung(徐慶鐘); ministers of state without portfolio Lien Cheng-tung (連震東), Lee Lien-chun (李連春) and Lee Teng-hui(李登輝); Interior Minister Lin Jin-sheng(林金生); Transport and Communications Minister Kao Yu-shu (高玉樹); Taiwan Provincial Governor, Hsieh Tung-min ( 謝東閔 ); and Taipei City Mayor, Chang Feng-Shu? (張豐緒). This is the start of a ‘localization’ drive in politics.
1973	November 12th	During the tenth Kuomingtang Central Committee, Premier Chiang Ching-kuo announces that the government has decided to complete nine important construction projects in five years. These nine projects, when an additional project to build a nuclear power plant is included, are called the ‘ten construction projects’.
1975	April 5th	President Chiang Kai-shek dies.
1976	November 12th	The eleventh National Congress of the Kuomintang is held in Taipei. It lasts for seven days. Congress members fully support Chiang Ching-kuo to become Party Chairman.
1978	March 21st	Chiang Ching-kuo becomes the sixth-term President of the Republic of China. On the following day, Hsieh Tung-min (謝東閔) is elected Vice President.
1978	December 16th	The Republic of China and the United States break diplomatic relations.
1981	March 29th	The twelfth National Congress of the Kuomintang is held in Taipei and runs for seven days. Important resolutions passed include one called “Unify China with the Three Principles of the People”. Chiang Ching-kuo is re-elected Party Chairman.
1982	October 22nd	The Grand Alliance for Reunification of China under the Three Principles of the People (三民主義統一中國大同盟) is founded in Taipei.

1984-2006

1984	March	The seventh session of the first National Assembly is held. Chiang Ching-kuo is elected the seventh-term President of the Republic of China. Lee Tung-hui is elected Vice President.
1985	December 25th	At a meeting to mark Constitution Day, President Chiang Ching-kuo announces that in future the rules of the Constitution must be adhered to in deciding who is President, and therefore no member of his family will participate in the next presidential elections.
1986	September 28th	Non-Kuomintang members form the Democratic Progressive Party. President Chiang Ching-kuo adopts a tolerant position.
1987	July 14th	The President orders the lifting of martial law from 12am on the 15th. Simultaneously, the National Security Act comes into force. A new milestone in the development of a democratic constitutional government for the Republic of China is reached.
1987	October 15th	Minister of the Interior Wu Po-Hsiung (吳伯雄) announces new rules allowing citizens to travel to the mainland for family visits.
1988	January 13th	Chiang Ching-kuo dies. The country goes into mourning. In line with the constitution, Vice President Lee Tung-hui takes over as President.
	January 27th	A session of the Kuomintang Central Standing Committee, acting on a proposal put forward by Yu Kuo-hua (俞國華), elects Lee Tung-hui acting Party Chairman.
	July 7th	The Kuomintang opens its thirteenth National Congress at Linko Gymnasium, Taipei County. The following day, Lee Tung-hui is formally elected Party Chairman.
1990	February	The eighth session of the first National Assembly opens. Elections for President and Vice President are held. On February 11th, during the extraordinary session of the thirteenth Kuomintang Central Committee, Lee Tung-hui and Lee Yuan-tzu? (李元簇) are put forward as candidates to run for President and Vice President, respectively.? The two men are duly elected with the highest number of votes on March 20th and March 21st, respectively, and take up their positions on May 20th.
1991	May 1st	The Period of National Mobilization for Suppression of the Communist Rebellion is formally ended.
1993	August 16th	The Kuomintang holds its fourteenth National Congress in Taipei. It lasts for seven days. Lee Tung-hui is re-elected Party Chairman. Lee Yuan-tzu (李元簇), Hau Pei-tsun (郝柏村), Lin Yang-kang (林洋港) and Lien Chan (連戰) are elected Vice Chairmen.
1996	March	The first direct elections for President and Vice President are held in Taiwan. Party Chairman Lee Tung-hui and Vice Chairman Lien Chan enter the elections as Kuomintang candidates.
1997	August 25th	The extraordinary session of the fifteenth Kuomintang National Congress takes place inside the Taipei International Conference Center. It runs until the 28th. Lee Tung-hui is re-elected Chairman. Lien Chan, Lee Yuan-tzu, Yu Kuo-hua and Chiu Chuang-huan (邱創煥) are elected Vice Chairmen.
2000	March	The Kuomintang loses in the Presidential elections. Lee Tung-hui steps down as Party Chairman. Lien Chan becomes Acting Chairman and carries out party reform.
2001	June	The fifteenth National Congress of the Kuomintang is held inside the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. Acting Chairman Lien Chan is elected Chairman with a high percentage of votes.
	August 9th	A general registration of party members takes place.
	March 24th	Kuomintang members elect Lien Chan with 97% of the vote in the first direct election for party chairman by the party membership.
2005	July 29th to 30th	The sixteenth Kuomintang National Congress is held.
2005	July 16th	The Kuomintang again holds s direct election for party chairman by the party membership. Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) is elected with over 72% of votes cast.
2006	August 19th to 20th	The Kuomintang holds its seventeenth National Congress.
	December 3rd	In provincial mayoral elections, the Kuomintang wins fourteen counties and cities. After a by-election in Taitung, this becomes fifteen.
	June	The Kuomintang headquarters is relocated to Bade Building.