READ: Taiwan in Time: The ill-fated Taiwanese leftists

List of REDS:

1. ​The FIRST:

Taiwanese Communist Party臺灣共產黨/臺灣共產黨

Founded: April 15, 1928 – Banned: September 1931

No known flag.

Cofounded by Xie Xuehong 謝雪紅 “Red Snow” (Image shows her in 1952)

She was born Xie Anü (謝阿女) in Changhua County in 1901 to a working-class family, the fourth of seven children. She lived from October 17^th, 1901 to November 5^th, 1970. For her loyalty to Chinese communism, she was, of course, not rewarded. In 1968, during the Cultural Revolution, Xie Xuehong was openly “struggled against” by comrades from the “Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League.” A sign that read “Big Rightist Xie Xuehong” was hung on her chest. She was forced to kneel and bow and essentially tortured. Xie Xuehong was 67 years old when she was attacked as a “rightest” after spending most of her life fighting for communism. She died two years later.

Taiwan Communist Party臺灣共產黨

Founded by Wang Lao-yang, October 16^th, 1994 – Legally registered July 20, 2008

Dissolved April 2020

Membership: About 2000.

Ugly flag (look at the south of Taiwan…is that a dolphin?):

2. The Communist Party of the Republic of China 中華民國共產黨

General Secretary: Chen Tianfu (until 25 September 2009) Party dissolved in May 2018.

No known flag

Chen went on to found the:

3. Taiwan Democratic Communist Party臺灣民主共產黨

Founded by/date: Chen Tien-fu - October 1, 2009. Dissolved: April 29, 2020

Ugly (?) flag:

4. LAST ONE STANDING:

Taiwan People's Communist Party臺灣人民共產黨

Leader (Supreme, I assume): Lin Te-wang. Founded in February 2017 – so far still painting the town red.

From Wiki: In 2023, Lin Te-wang and two other party members were indicted under the Anti-Infiltration Act for colluding with the Chinese Communist Party to influence the 2024 presidential and legislative elections. The Chinese government's Taiwan Affairs Office subsequently condemned the indictments.

Ugly flag:

Hey China! The 70+-year-old dude below is probably misinformed or outright insane, but we let him do his weekly ritual of yelling about how evil the ROC is and how Taiwan longs for the embrace of Xi Jinping… but guess what? We don’t arrest him! Shocking, yeah? Give it a try…it’s called “freedom.”

Sources:

Copper, John F. Taiwan: Nation-State or Province? (6th Edition). Westview Press, 2013.

Roy, Denny. Taiwan: A Political History. Cornell University Press, 2003.

Guy, Nancy. Peking Opera and Politics in Taiwan. University of Illinois Press, 2005.

Government of Taiwan: Ministry of the Interior party registration archives.

Ketty Chen, "Democratic Transition and the DPP," Taiwan Insight, University of Nottingham, 2019.

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One of Taiwan’s many niche parties: “The Motorists' Party of ROC (MPR)”

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The story of Qīngmíng Jié (Tomb-Sweeping Festival) “The festival's origins are intertwined with the Cold Food Festival (Hánshí Jié), established to commemorate Jie Zitui, a loyal official of Duke Wen of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period. According to legend, during Duke Wen's exile, Jie provided him with sustenance by offering meat from his own thigh. Upon regaining his position, Duke Wen sought to reward Jie, who had retreated into the forest with his mother. Unable to locate him, Duke Wen ordered the forest to be set ablaze to force Jie out, inadvertently causing Jie's death. In remorse, Duke Wen decreed a period during which the use of fire was prohibited, leading to the consumption of cold food.” –Nice.

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