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SCMP Reporter

The following is a chronolgy of key events in Taiwan's transformation into a democracy.

1945 Taiwan is rturned to Chinese control at the end of World War II after 50 years of Japanese colonial rule.

1947 Kuomingtang troops crush islandwide rioting by Taiwanese disgruntled at widespread corruption.

1949 KMT leader Chiang Kai-shek moves his government to taiwan. The military strongman rules the island with an iron fist for decades until his death in 1975.

1968 Taiwan holds its first congressional by-elections to replace deceased China-elected deputies. The majority are lifetime parlimentarians. Only a small minority are elected.

1972 Chiang kai-shek is re-elected president. His son and anointed political heir, Chiang Ching-kuo, is appointed premier, raising fears of a 'Chiang dynasty' and fuelling growth of an underground Taiwan independence movement.

1975 Chiang kai-shek dies. Presidency is assumed by Vice-Presidenct Yen Chia-kan, a mere figurehead.

1978 Chiang Ching-kuo is elected president.

1979 Taiwan cancels congressional elections after Washington switches diplomatic recognition to Beijing from Taipei.

1984 Chiang Ching-kuo is re-elected president and handpicks Taiwan-born Lee Teng-hui to succeed him.

1986 Chiang Ching-kuo promises political reform. Emboldened dissidents form the Democratic progressive Party. (DPP) July 1987 Taiwan lifts almost four decades of martial law.

January 1988 End of Chiang dynasty with death of Chiang Ching-kuo. Mr Lee is sworn in as president.

Curbs on newspapers are eased.

July 1988 Mr Lee is elected chairman of the KMT and consolidates power to push through political reform.

March 1990 Mr Lee elected president by the National Assembly. Thousands of students take to streets to protest against the assembly expanding its power.

1991 Lifetime members of Legislative Yuan, National Assembly and Control Yuan are forced to retire.

1992 Taiwan holds first full elections to parliament.

Parliament passess resolution ordering destruction of tens of thousands of dossiers on civil servants and employees of state-owned enterprises, ending checks for ideological reliability. Shadowy government body once in charge of dossiers is limited to fighting corruption.

1993 Split in ranks of KMT as group of Young Turks bolt and for New Party.

Ban on new radio stations lifted. Parliment ends restrictions on broadcasting in Taiwanese.

1994 Governments allow applications for new TV stations.

First popular gubernatorial elections, Taipei and Kaohsiung mayoral elections held.

1996 Taiwan voters make Mr Lee first directly elected president in Chinese history in defiance of weeks of menacing war games by China. Mr Lee takes landslide 54 per cent of vote.

March 18,2000 Taiwan holds presidential elections.



Coming of age