The latest Census in 2016 recorded 46,822 Taiwan-born people in Australia, an increase of 63.6 per cent from the 2011 Census.
Under this agreement, the Australian government diplomatically recognises the People's Republic of China (PRC) as the 'sole legitimate government of China', and do not recognise the ROC as a sovereign state, while merely acknowledging Beijing's position that "Taiwan was a province of the PRC".
Australia adheres to its one-China policy, which means we do not recognize Taiwan as a country. We maintain unofficial contacts with Taiwan promoting economic, trade and cultural interests.
Immigration History from Taiwan to Victoria
Economic and Business Migration Programs during the late 1980s and early 1990s encouraged Taiwanese to migrate to Australia. Within Victoria, the Taiwan-born population rose six-fold in ten years, from 595 in 1986 to 3,559 in 1996.
The ROC government relocated to Taiwan in 1949 while fighting a civil war with the Chinese Communist Party. Since then, the ROC has continued to exercise effective jurisdiction over the main island of Taiwan and a number of outlying islands, leaving Taiwan and China each under the rule of a different government.
Taiwan was Japan's first colony and can be viewed as the first step in implementing their "Southern Expansion Doctrine" of the late 19th century. Japanese intentions were to turn Taiwan into a showpiece "model colony" with much effort made to improve the island's economy, public works, industry, cultural Japanization, ...
Australia is China's sixth largest trading partner; it is China's fifth biggest supplier of imports and its tenth biggest customer for exports. Twenty-five per cent of Australia's manufactured imports come from China; 13% of its exports are thermal coal to China. A two-way investment relationship is also developing.
The terms of our Joint Communiqué dictate the fundamental basis of Australia's one China policy – the Australian Government does not recognise the ROC as a sovereign state and does not regard the authorities in Taiwan as having the status of a national government.
Germany, South Africa, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and Japan are Taiwan's principal trade partners in Europe, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East and Oceania, respectively.
You won't need a visa for Taiwan if you meet all these conditions: you'll only stay for up to 90 days. you're visiting for tourism or business. you have a confirmed return or onward air ticket.
The states that recognise the ROC (12 UN members and the Holy See as of 26 March 2023) regard it as the sole legitimate government of China and therefore do not recognise the PRC. Bhutan is the only UN member state that has never explicitly recognised either the PRC or the ROC.
The Republic of China (ROC), often known informally as Taiwan, currently has formal diplomatic relations with 12 of the 193 United Nations member states and with the Holy See, which governs Vatican City, as of 31 May 2023.
The weight on their shoulders is heavy, as is the price they can pay for not siding with China, which doesn't allow its allies to also recognise Taiwan. Taiwan's remaining allies are Belize, Guatemala, Haiti, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in the Americas.
This is because the sizes of their economies are very different. Mainland China is home to 1.4 billion people whereas Taiwan is home to only 23 million people. This is the reason why a comparison of the per capita GDP makes more sense in order to find the individual prosperity of the citizens of these nations.
Taiwan has become an important U.S. partner in trade and investment, health, semiconductor and other critical supply chains, investment screening, science and technology, education, and advancing democratic values.
In the 1980s, Australia targeted Taiwan for business migrants and a number of Taiwanese migrants entered Australia under the Business Migration Program. The Taiwan-born population rose from 2056 in 1986 to 12,528 in 1991.
The governments of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of China (ROC) oppose Taiwanese independence since they believe that Taiwan and mainland China comprise two portions of a single country's territory. For the ROC, such a move would be considered a violation of its constitution.
China remained Australia's largest trading partner in 2021–22, accounting for 27% of our two-way trade. Japan and Korea account for a further 18%. Many Australian companies are diversifying their export markets, and the ASEAN region now accounts for 14% of total trade.
The main products that China exported to Australia are Computers ($4.97B), Broadcasting Equipment ($4.09B), and Other Furniture ($1.82B). During the last 26 years the exports of China to Australia have increased at an annualized rate of 13.7%, from $2.5B in 1995 to $70B in 2021.
China has been Australia's top consumer of iron ore for decades, accounting for 80 per cent of our exports of the mineral in 2021.
In December 1949, the Republic of China Armed Forces and the Kuomintang were defeated in the Chinese Civil War, forcing the Government of the Republic of China to relocate to Taiwan.
Both the ROC and the PRC still officially (constitutionally) claim mainland China and the Taiwan Area as part of their respective territories. In reality, the PRC rules only Mainland China and has no control of but claims Taiwan as part of its territory under its "One China Principle".
The 2022 report ranks Japan as the third most powerful country in Asia after the United States and China. India follows in fourth place, while Russia is ranked fifth, followed by Australia, South Korea, Singapore and Indonesia.
Russia currently doesn't have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, considering it to be an "inalienable" part of the People's Republic of China.