July 1971

Henry Kissinger secretly visits China.

October 1971

The UN General Assembly votes to expel the ROC, placing the PRC in the Chinese seat in the General Assembly as well as the Security Council.

February 1972

Nixon visits China and signs the 1st U.S.-PRC Joint Communiqué (Shanghai Communiqué).

November 1973

During a visit by Secretary of State Kissinger, Mao says China can wait 100 years for Taiwan unification.

April 1975

Chiang Kai-shek dies. Chiang Ching-kuo succeeds his father as ROC president.

September 1976

Mao Zedong dies and is succeeded initially by Hua Guofeng.

January 1979

Deng Xiaoping visits the United States and signs the 2nd Sino-U.S. Joint Communiqué. The United States severs diplomatic ties with the ROC.

April 1979

President Chiang Ching-kuo introduces the "Three No's" policy.

April 1979

The U.S. Congress passes the Taiwan Relations Act.

November 1979

The title "Chinese Taipei" is adopted for the first time.

December 1979

The KMT cracks down on a mass demonstration in what becomes known as the "Kaohsiung Incident."

1980

Taiwan is replaced in the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank by the PRC.

September 1981

The PRC publicizes its "Guidelines on Making Taiwan Return to the Motherland in a Peaceful Unification," also known as Ye Jianying's Nine-Point Proposal.

August 1982

The United States and the PRC sign the 3rd Joint Communiqué on Arms Sales to Taiwan (August 17 Communiqué). President Reagan issues his "Six Assurances" to Taiwan.

June 1983

Deng Xiaoping releases his "Six Conceptions."

September 1986

The Democratic Progress Party (DPP) is founded.

April 1987

Deng Xiaoping makes his "50 Years" statement concerning Taiwan.

July 1987

Martial law ends in Taiwan.

January 1988

Chiang Ching-kuo dies. His vice president Lee Teng-hui becomes Taiwan's first native-born president.

January 1989

The ROC legislature passes civic organization law.

June 1989

The Tiananmen Square incident occurs. Zhao Ziyang is ousted. Jiang Zemin assumes CCP leadership.

December 1989

In "supplemental" elections to the ROC legislature (Legislative Yuan) that has been in place since 1948, the KMT claims 72 seats out of a total of 101, while the three-year-old Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) claims 21 seats. All original members of the Legislative Yuan elected in 1948 are to retire on December 31, 1991.

March 1991

Taiwan adopts "Guidelines for National Unification."

May 1991

The Period of National Mobilization for Suppression of the Communist Rebellion ends in Taiwan.

August 1992

The National Unification Council of Taiwan passes a resolution that outlines Taiwan's different interpretation of "One China."

November 1992

Working-level ARATS-SEF consultations occur in Hong Kong.

December 1992

The election to the second Legislative Yuan is held, with the DPP registering more gains.

April 1993

First Koo-Wang talks are held in Singapore.

August 1993

The PRC releases its first White Paper on Taiwan and Reunification.

July 1994

Taiwan issues a white paper on cross-Strait relations.

January 1995

PRC president Jiang Zemin releases his "Eight Points" regarding reunification.

April 1995

ROC president Lee Teng-hui responds to Jiang's "Eight Points" with his own "Six Points" declaration.

June-August 1995

Lee Teng-hui visits the United States. China responds with a show of force.

November-December 1995

Beijing conducts another round of military exercises to influence the upcoming Legislative Yuan elections.

March 1996

China tests missiles off the coast of Taiwan, prompting the dispatch of two U.S. aircraft carriers to the area. Lee wins Taiwan's first direct presidential election.

February 1997

Deng Xiaoping dies.

July 1997

Hong Kong is returned to Chinese sovereignty.

June 1998

Clinton publicly affirms the "Three No's."

July 1998

China releases its first white paper on national defense.

October 1998

The second Koo-Wang talks are held as the cross-Strait relationship thaws.

December 1998

The election to the fourth Legislative Yuan is held, and the KMT majority erodes further.

July 1999

ROC president Lee introduces the concept of "special state-to-state" relations.

November 1999

The DPP releases a White Paper on China Policy for the 21st Century.