Once a name for the government of mainland China (est. 1911), the Republic of China (中華民國) was re-established in 1949 on the island of Taiwan (previously known as Formosa) after the government of Chiang Kai-shek was defeated by the Communists and his supporters forced to evacuate the mainland. The political status of the nation is contentious due to the fact that the People's Republic of China insist the island is a historical part of their nation, and that the government of Taiwan is illegal. The ROC considers itself a sovereign nation, but it is unrecognized by the United Nations. The Republic of China (ROC) Armed Forces encompasses the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Military Police Force of Taiwan.
