Its neighbours include China (officially the People's Republic of China) to the west,

與臺灣相鄰的國家包括位在西邊的中國 (正式名為中華人民共和國)、

Japan to the northeast, and the Philippines to the south.

北邊的日本，以及南邊的菲律賓

Taiwan is the most populous state that is not a member of the UN with a population of over 23,500,000.

臺灣是非聯合國成員中人口密集度最高的國家，擁有超過 2350 萬人口。

And it also possesses the largest economy of any state outside of the UN.

臺灣也是聯合國成員之外最大的經濟體。

The Taiwanese government claims to be the legitimate government of china and the reason

臺灣政府宣稱要成為合法的中國政府，

for this goes back to the early 20th century.

而其原因得追溯到 20 世紀初

Taiwan had been a Chinese colony until 1895 when it was ceded to imperial japan by the

臺灣被中國長期殖民，直到 1895 年，

Qing dynasty.

清朝將臺灣割讓給日本

While Taiwan was under Japanese rule, the Republic of China (ROC), the government which

臺灣在被日本統治時期，

still rules Taiwan, was established on the mainland in 1912 after the fall of the Qing

中華民國政府在清朝滅亡後，於 1912 年，

dynasty.

在大陸成立

Following the Japanese surrender to the Allies in 1945, the ROC took control of Taiwan.

1945 年，日本向同盟國投降後，臺灣便由中華民國管轄

However, the resumption of the Chinese Civil War, which had stoped because of the war with

然而，原本因日本而中斷的國共內戰再次開打，

japan, led to the ROC's loss of the mainland to the Communists, and the flight of the ROC

導致中華民國將中國本土輸給了共產黨，

government to Taiwan in 1949.

1949 年，中華民國政府逃到臺灣

Although the ROC continued to claim to be the legitimate government of China, its effective

儘管中華民國一直聲稱自己為中國的合法政府，

area of control since 1949 has been limited to Taiwan and its surrounding islands, with

但從 1949 年以來，中華民國政府所管轄土地只侷限在臺灣本島及周圍群島，

the main island making up 99% of its territory.

本島就佔其領土的 99%

As a founding member of the United Nations, the ROC continued to represent China at the

身為聯合國的創始員之一，中華民國一直代表中國出席聯合國，

United Nations until 1971, when the PRC assumed China's seat, causing the ROC to lose its

直到 1971 年，中華人民共和國佔了中國地位，

UN membership.

導致中華民國失去了聯合國會員的身分

Since then most nations officially recognise Taiwan as part of the people's republic

從此，多數國家都認為臺灣為中華人民共和國的一部分，

of china but unofficially they have embassies and conduct business with Taiwan as if it

卻有非官方大使館以及與臺灣進行貿易的關係，

was just another country.

彷彿對待另一個國家一般

The flag of the Republic of China is red with

中華民國的國旗是紅底，

a navy blue canton bearing a white sun with twelve triangular rays.

上頭還有一小塊為海軍藍，印有一顆白色太陽散發十二個三角形光線

In Chinese, the flag is commonly described as Blue Sky, White Sun, and a Wholly Red Earth to reflect its features.

在中文裡，一般以「青天、白日、滿地紅」來表達這面國旗的特色。

It was first used in mainland China by the (Kuomintang) KMT, the Chinese Nationalist

這面國旗首次是國民黨在中國大陸使用，

Party in 1917 and was made the official flag of the Republic of China (ROC) in 1928.

中國國民黨於 1917 年創立，而中華民國國旗在 1928 年出現

As Taiwan had been under Japanese rule since 1895, the flag began use in Taiwan after the

自 1895 年，臺灣受日本統治，一直到 1945 年回歸中國後，

1945 handover.

臺灣國旗才回歸祖國使用

The flag is now mostly used within Taiwan and other outlying islands where the ROC relocated

如今，中華民國在 1949 年國共內戰戰敗後，

in 1949 after its defeat in the Chinese Civil War.

這支國旗僅有在臺灣本地以及其他離島使用

The canton known as "Blue Sky with a White Sun" was created by a revolutionary called

「青天與白日」這一塊的設計，

Lu Hao-tung in the late 1800s.

是一位名叫陸皓東的革命分子於 19 世紀末時創造的

The twelve rays of the white Sun symbolize the twelve months and the twelve traditional

白日周圍十二個光芒象徵十二個月，以及十二個傳統時辰 (時間) 單位，

units of time (shichen), which correspond to two modern hours.

一個時辰相較於現在的兩個小時

A fellow nationalist, Sun Yat-sen, added the "Red Earth" to the flag to signify the blood

一位民族主義的同胞，孫中山，另外在國旗設計裡加了「紅地」，

of the revolutionaries who sacrificed themselves in order to overthrow the Qing Dynasty and

以象徵那些為推翻滿清

create the ROC.

以建中華民國的革命分子的鮮血

Together, the three colours of the flag correspond to the Three Principles of the People: Blue

國旗上的三種顏色也代表三民主義：

represents nationalism and liberty; White represents democracy and equality; and Red

藍色代表民族自由；白色代表民主平等；

represents the people's livelihood and community.

而紅色代表民生團體

Flying of the flag is banned in mainland china and is used as a means of protest against

讓這面國旗在中國大陸飄揚是被禁止的，此舉被視為抗議中共政府，

the PRC government but despite this, the PRC strangely have criticized Taiwan independence

但儘管如此，中共也奇怪地批評臺獨團體，

groups for wishing to change or abolish the ROC flag, and has implied that legal steps

也希望他們能換掉或廢除中華民國國旗，

to do so would bring a strongly negative reaction from the PRC.

同時也暗示按照法律程序走的話，中共會有強烈的負面反應

The flag was also recently banned in Cambodia – by Prime Minister Hun Sen in February

中華民國國旗最近在柬埔寨也被禁止了－－ 2017 年二月，

2017 who outlawed the display of the ROC flag in Cambodia due to the One-China policy.

首相洪森為主張一個中國原則，在當地禁止展示中華民國國旗