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![[Flag of Taiwan]](../images/t/tw.gif) image by 
Zoltan Horvath, 5 November 2024
 image by 
Zoltan Horvath, 5 November 2024
Proportions: 2:3
Usage Code: ![[FIS Code]](../misc/oooooo.gif)
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Taiwan has retained several flags of the Chinese 
Republic in use prior to the establishment of the Republic of China in 
Taiwan: It's improper to say "establishment in" here, because Taiwan has been 
ruled under ROC since 1945, before 1949. It's better to say "retreat to". 
Besides, "Chinese Republic" usually is equivalent to 
"Republic of China" today, but officially, the former was the translation of 
Peking Government (or Beiyang Government) and the later is the translation of 
KMT Government since mid-1928. It's hardly to take the former to mean the period 
before the establishment of the People’s Republic of China 
and the later to mean only after Oct. 1, 1949.
Akira Oyo, 18 April 2014
The red in the flag represents the land of China itself, with reference to
  the Han race which is the dominant race among the many races of China. The
  white sun symbolizes the spirit of progress as the twelve points represent the
  twelve hours of the day (a traditional Chinese hour = two conventional hours),
  and the sun on a blue field is the party flag of the Kuomintang (Nationalist
  Party) which ruled Taiwan until 2000. This flag was first used in 1928.
  Xuess Wee York Ting, 25 September 1996
  Editorial Note: The above has been corrected to reflect the
  current political situation.
Mr. Hou-tung Lu designed the basics of the national flag of Taiwan (the
  blue sky, white sun). Later the red field was added by Dr. Sun Yat-sen to
  become the national flag.
  Michael Wang, 13 May 1997
  
I have the 1919 and 1930 editions of Jane's Fighting Ships which show the
  naval and marine ensigns of the day. This flag of Taiwan is shown in both the
  1919 and 1930 editions of Jane's Fighting Ships and is identified as the
  Chinese Naval Ensign.
  Glen Robert-Grant Hodgins, 30 March 1998
Strictly speaking, the flag was first officially adopted in 1914
  as the 'naval flag' (both afloat and ashore). It became the national flag in
  1928, but remained the naval flag. It is still the official naval flag in
  Taiwan.
  Miles Li, 02 February 1999
In a book titled: 'Republic of China: a reference book', published in 1983
  by United Pacific International Inc. and sponsored by the Government
  Information Office of the Republic of China (Taiwan), there is a description
  of the symbolism of the colours in the national flag: 'The three colors of
  blue, white and crimson collectively signify the Three Principles of the
  People:
  Blue - Liberty, justice and Min Chuan (Democracy)
  White - Equality, brightness and Min Sheng (People's Livelihood)
  Crimson - Fraternity, sacrifice and Min Tsu (Nationalism)'
  Jose Manuel Erbez, 23 September 1999
The symbolism cited for the Taiwanese flag by Jose Manuel is correct. The
  "three principles of the people" represented by the
  white-twelve-pointed star (Equality, brightness and Min Sheng (People's
  Livelihood)), the blue canton (Liberty, justice and Min Chuan (Democracy)) and
  red field (Fraternity, sacrifice and Min Tsu (Nationalism)) were drafted by
  the Republic of China's founding father Dr Sun Yat-Sen. In a book called
  "Sun Yat-Sen's Revolution: a Pictorial History" some pictures of the
  original designs are depicted.
	The design was primarily the political flag of the Tung Meng Hui Society
  (later, in 1912, the Kuo Ming Tang, KMT, Taiwan's
  ruling party) and, after the 1911 revolution and later, after the death of
  Yuan Shi Kai in 1916 (the Republic of China's second provisional president
  recommended by Dr. Sun; Yuan was to declare himself emperor) and the ongoing
  fighting between Chinese warlords during the 1920s, became the flag of the
  Republic. After the victory of the Chinese Communist forces over those of
  nationalist China, the Government fled to Taiwan island (Formosa) where it
  settled as an exile government. This government remained internationally
  recognized until the mid-seventies, when the UN admitted and recognized
  Beijing's (instead of Taipei's) government as the legitimate government of
  China. Although the RoC (Taiwan) continued to make claims over the Chinese
  mainland, it seems now that Taipei's government is seeking for the recognition
  of its independence as a State. So we might be looking forward to a change in
  the flag and the coat of arms (even though I see that as an unlikely
  possibility.
  Guillermo Aveledo, 23 September 1999
The National Flag of the Republic (of China) under Articles 3, 4 aand 5 of
  Decree No. 47 of the National Government is dated 19 December 1928.
  Christopher Southworth, 5 July 2005
The Ministry of Interior gives CMYK suggestion for its colors:
https://www.moi.gov.tw/cp.aspx?n=10621 
Zoltan Horvath, 5 
November 2024
The protocol manual for the 
London 2012 Olympics	(Flags and Anthems Manual 
London 2012 [loc12]) provides recommendations 
for national flag designs. Each 
NOC	was sent an image of the flag, 
including the PMS shades, for their approval by LOCOG. Once this was obtained, LOCOG produced 
a 60 x 90 cm version of the flag for further approval. So, while these specs may 
not be the official, government, version of each flag, they are certainly what 
the NOC	believed the flag to be.
For Chinese Taipei: PMS 2748 blue, 3005 blue, 485 red, 192 pink, 137 yellow, 355 
green, 426 black. The vertical flag is simply the horizontal version turned 90 
degrees clockwise.
Ian Sumner, 10 October 2012
The Flag Manual - Beijing 2008 doesn’t illustrate the flag of Taiwan, only 
Olympic flag of Chinese Taipei is depicted.
The Album des Pavillons 2000 
[pay00] (Corr. No. 4.) gives approximate colors 
in Pantone and CMYK systems:
Blue: Pantone 301C, CMYK 100-45-0-10
Red: 
Pantone 186c, CMYK 0-90-75-5
Yellow: Pantone 123c, CMYK 0-30-95-0
Orange: 
Pantone 152c, CMYK 0-50-100-0
The Flags and Anthems Manual London 2012 [loc12] 
doesn’t illustrate the flag of Taiwan, only Olympic flag of Chinese Taipei is 
depicted. For Taiwanese colors gives Pantone colors: PMS 2748 (dark blue), and 
PMS 485 (red)
The Album des Pavillons 2023 specifies the colors of the 
flags in three color systems:
Blue: Pantone 301c, CMYK 97-68-6-0, RGB 
0-82-155
Red: Pantone 186c, CMYK 10-100-74-2, RGB 210-16-52
Orange: 
Pantone 152c, CMYK 4-66-100-0, RGB 231-111-0
Yellow: Pantone 123c, CMYK 
0-24-88-0, RGB 255-199-38
Green: Pantone 369c, CMYK 71-6-100-0, RGB 79-166-0
Vexilla Mundi gives colors in Pantone 
system: PMS 2347C (red), PMS 2728C (blue), and PMS White.
Wikipedia 
illustrates the flag, and construction details, and gives color values as 
follows:
Blue: RGB 0-41-204, Hex #0029CC, CMYK 100-80-0-20, Pantone2728 C
Red: 
RGB 242-0-0, Hex
#F20000, CMYK 0-100-100-5*, Pantone 2347 C
White: RGB 255-255-255, Hex #FFFFFF, 
CMYK 0-0-0-0, Pantone White
* The Ministry of Interior 
suggestion for CMYK value for red color is 0-100-100-5~10
Flag Color Codes gives the following color 
values:
Red: Hex #FE0000, RGB 254-0-0, CMYK 0-100-100-0, Pantone 2347 C, RAL
3026
Blue: Hex #000095, RGB 0-0-149, CMYK 100-100-0-42, Pantone 2738 
C, RAL 5002
White: Hex FFFFFF, RGB 255-255-255, CMYK 0-0-0-0, Pantone N/A, 
RAL N/A
Zoltan Horvath, 5 November 2024
The Republic of China (ROC) National Flag and Emblem Act of 1928 did not
mention the colour of the flagpole (other than a red ball finial,
which understandably was almost universally ignored), but the ROC
National Flag and Emblem Act of 1954 did specify a white flagpole with
golden-yellow ball finial.
The President's flag has white pole and golden-yellow spearhead
finial, whereas all other military flags have red pole and
silver-white spearhead finial.
Miles Li, 11 August 2008