Taiwanization

Taiwanization, often referred to as the Taiwanese localization movement, denotes a broad cultural, social, and political shift that places Taiwan—its history, people, and identity—at the centre of national consciousness. Rather than viewing Taiwan primarily through the lens of China or earlier colonial frameworks, the movement promotes a Taiwan-focused understanding of society, language, and heritage. Central to this process has been the re-examination of Taiwan’s multicultural character, including its indigenous populations, Hoklo and Hakka communities, as well as groups shaped by Japanese rule and later waves of migration.

Cultural Foundations and Objectives

At its core, Taiwanization seeks to elevate the visibility of Taiwan’s distinct experiences and traditions. Advocates emphasise education that foregrounds the island’s own historical trajectory, including revised curricula in geography, history, and culture. This has led to increased attention to indigenous perspectives, the legacies of Japanese colonialism, and the development of a specifically Taiwanese social environment.
Language revitalisation is a prominent aspect of the movement. Alongside Mandarin—the official language since the mid-twentieth century—there has been encouragement for broader use of Taiwanese Hokkien, Hakka, and the numerous Formosan indigenous languages. Media outlets and dedicated broadcasting channels have contributed to preserving linguistic diversity and strengthening cultural representation.
Name rectification initiatives form another component of cultural localisation. Firms and organisations with titles containing the word “China” or “Chinese”, vestiges of an earlier political orientation, have been encouraged to adopt Taiwan-focused titles. For companies active internationally, emphasising a Taiwanese identity reduces confusion with enterprises in the People’s Republic of China, though some businesses choose not to change names for financial or political reasons.

Early Origins and Historical Context

The emergence of Taiwanization as a concept cannot be traced to a single moment. Some interpretations locate its earliest roots in the mid-sixteenth century, when Han settlers began arriving from coastal China and developed a degree of autonomy distinct from their ancestral regions. Others associate its genesis with the Kingdom of Tungning (1662–1683), established by the Zheng family at Tainan, which governed Taiwan independently from the mainland.
Many scholars, particularly in the PRC, identify the Japanese colonial era (1895–1945) as a formative period for Taiwanese local consciousness. During these decades, activist groups petitioned for greater autonomy and home rule. These movements, though ultimately limited by imperial governance, set the stage for later demands for local identity and political agency.
Following the Second World War, the arrival of the Kuomintang (KMT) introduced new political dynamics. The February 28 Incident of 1947, in which Taiwanese elites and civilians suffered severe repression, deeply shaped local memory. Under KMT administration, Taiwan was viewed primarily as the base from which to retake mainland China, rather than as an entity with its own cultural identity. Newly arrived mainlanders often lived in segregated communities, creating divides between them and the native Taiwanese. Mandarin became the exclusive language in government and education, while other languages were suppressed, particularly within the military and public schools.
These developments created conditions in which a locally centred identity could emerge in contrast to the externally imposed framework of Chinese nationalism.

Political Transformation and the Localization Movement

By the 1970s and 1980s, several forces converged to accelerate the shift towards Taiwanization. The likelihood of retaking the mainland had diminished, and international circumstances—such as the loss of diplomatic allies—placed pressure on the ROC government to adapt. At the same time, Taiwan’s rapid economic development led to social disparities and labour disputes, contributing to a rising demand for political reform.
President Lee Teng-hui became a major supporter of Taiwanization, advocating a Taiwan-centred national vision. His presidency coincided with the broader indigenization movement, or bentuhua, which gained momentum in the mid-1970s. This movement arose from dissatisfaction among native Taiwanese communities over unequal access to political and cultural power. Under Chiang Ching-kuo’s reforms, restrictions eased sufficiently for dissident groups to organise under the tangwai (“outside the party”) banner. These groups demanded democratisation, full civil rights, and acknowledgement that the ROC government’s jurisdiction effectively applied only to Taiwan.
Cultural initiatives reinforced political activism. Writers and intellectuals revived nativist literature—xiang tu wenxue—and reassessed historical narratives to emphasise the island’s unique experiences of colonisation, migration, and resistance. Symbols of earlier anti-colonial struggles were repurposed to foster a shared identity rooted in Taiwan’s particular past. Increasingly, a national history centred on Taiwan rather than China became a cornerstone of cultural and political discourse.

Social Responses and Debates

The growth of Taiwanization has been met with differing perspectives across society. Critics, particularly among more conservative or pro-unification groups, argue that localisation fosters an identity based on ethnic nationalism rather than historical continuity with Chinese civilisation. Early concerns among mainlander communities focused on fears of cultural marginalisation and the diminishing prominence of Mandarin-speaking migrant heritage.
Over time, however, Taiwan’s evolution towards a pluralistic society has softened some of these tensions. The recognition of multiple cultural heritages, and the inclusion of various ethnic groups in public discourse, has contributed to a more inclusive understanding of Taiwanese identity.
Interestingly, elements of Taiwanization also appeared among pro-unification politicians in the late twentieth century. Figures such as James Soong adopted local languages in semi-formal contexts, recognising the political and social value of connecting with Taiwanese cultural practices while still maintaining a Chinese nationalist orientation.

The Name Rectification Campaign and Contemporary Cultural Shifts

The early 2000s witnessed a heightened focus on name rectification, a policy direction emphasised by successive pro-localisation administrations. The initiative sought to reduce the prominence of Sinicised names imposed during the early post-war decades. Street names, public institutions, and corporate titles were targeted for renaming to reflect Taiwan’s own identity rather than that of mainland China. This formed part of a broader reconfiguration of public space, historical memory, and national symbolism.
Democratic reforms and the lifting of martial law in 1987 enabled an open reassessment of identity and cultural policy. After the Wild Lily student movement accelerated demands for political change, educational reforms began shifting curriculum content toward a balanced teaching of both Taiwanese and Chinese histories. Language policy also evolved, with increased support for Hokkien programming in broadcast media and growing public advocacy for linguistic plurality.
By the early twenty-first century, debates surrounding Taiwanization had become intertwined with broader questions of sovereignty, national identity, and cross-strait relations. Some saw the movement as a step towards consolidating a distinct national identity, potentially aligned with aspirations for formal independence. Others viewed it primarily as cultural self-assertion within an evolving democratic society.

Cultural Significance and Ongoing Developments

Taiwanization continues to shape Taiwan’s identity formation, political debates, and cultural expressions. The movement underscores the island’s layered history, which includes indigenous traditions, centuries of migration, periods of foreign rule, and contemporary democratic transformation. It has encouraged the revitalisation of local languages, re-examination of historical narratives, and expansion of Taiwan’s cultural industries.