After World War One, European empires weakened. Across Asia and Africa, anti-colonial movements started rising.
In 1927, China entered a brutal civil war during a time of political instability and economic crisis.
Mao Zedong’s Communist Party (CCP) fought against Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist Party (KMT) for control of China.
During World War Two, both sides temporarily united against Japan. After the war, the civil war restarted.
In 1949, Mao Zedong declared the formation of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in Beijing.
Chiang Kai-shek fled to Taiwan after losing the war. Since 1949, mainland China and Taiwan have had separate governments.
Taiwan runs its own government and economy, but China still claims the island under its “One China” policy.