About the Republic of China (Taiwan):
Not to be confused with Peoples Republic of China, which is Communist, the Republic of China is a democratic country located on the island of Taiwan. You will often hear or read of the Republic of China simply as Taiwan…they are synonymous. It was here that Chiag Kai Shek and his followers fled once the Communists took over mainland China in 1949. The government of Chiang Kai-Shek was a dictatorship and had a reputation for corruption, which certainly added fuel to the flames of the Communist revolution.
Since its establishment in 1949, the communist People’s Republic of China (P.R.C.) has claimed Taiwan as a province and has refused to establish diplomatic relations with Taiwan. The P.R.C. has additionally not ruled out the use of force in the pursuit of unification. It remains one of the possible flashpoints of military confrontation in the world today.
In terms of geographical size, Taiwan is about 150 miles long and 56 miles wide…slightly bigger than the state of Maryland. As of 2025, it had a population of about 23 million. Only a small percentage of the population is Catholic (Approximately 1% to 1.5%…numbering roughly 225,000 to 300,000 members
Note: for a short time in history, Taiwan was known as Formosa. That is no longer the case. A bit confusing, we know!
Catholic places of interest in the Republic of China (Taiwan):
Kaohsiung City: Basilica Cathedral of the Holy Rosary
Taipei: Holy Family Church (External link..in Chinese)
Wanluan Township: Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception
Traveling to the Republic of China (Taiwan):
By air: Taiwan has 4 airports for commercial flights: the major airport in Taiwan is Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE).
By Ship: Although here are 7 cruise ports in Taiwan, the Port of Keelung is Taiwan’s busiest cruise port, known for handling the most international cruise ship calls and passengers. It is located near the capitol, Taipei.