How Taiwan Became Chinese

Lively and deeply researched. An enjoyable, enlightening, and de-centering read for every student of late imperial China and of early modern empire. -- John E. Wills Jr., University of Southern California (emeritus) Through the prism of a single island's experiences, Andrade develops implications for the early modern world as a whole... [Brings] the complex dynamics of the period into clear focus [and] offers perceptive insights on the nature of European and Asian colonial expansion in early modern times. -- Jerry Bentley, Journal of World History A wonderful introduction to the global world in the seventeenth century. The contemporary standoff between the Republic of China cum 'Chinese Taibei' vis-a-vis the People's Republic of China remains a political headache with the potential for causing a global economic downturn. This book is the best account that places the present situation in historical context. -- Benjamin Elman, Princeton University Tonio Andrade accomplishes handsomely three original tasks: he explains how Chinese ethnicity came to dominate Taiwan under non-Chinese leadership; he develops a new theoretical model, that of co-colonization, to explain this transformation; and he demonstrates the relevance of Taiwan's experience to the early modern history of the wider Asian littoral. Throughout, his writing is fast-paced and full of arresting anecdotes. -- Victor Lieberman, University of Michigan A masterpiece. This book should interest not only scholars of Taiwan history but also those who work on European expansion, colonialism, and Chinese history. This first monograph on the early history of Taiwan will doubtless become a standard reference. -- Han Jiabao, author of Helan shidai Taiwan de jingji, tudi, yu shuiwu Andrade deserves high praise for writing an absorbing and entertaining history of an important period in the history of Taiwan. -- David Wilmshurst, Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, Hong Kong Branch How Taiwan Became Chinese provides a vivid study of colonial government on the ground. -- International Jorunal of Asian Studies provides a model for the study of interdependence, cooperation and conflict between many different actors applicable to many other situations. A valuable addition to the scholarship on Taiwan and the early modern history of East Asia. -- Madhavi Thampi, China Report An important book... the author is to be commended for such a readable and accessible text. -- Paul Van Dyke, Journal of Asian Studies Andrade's book is important and should not be overlooked by scholars of Qing history, comparative colonial processes, or world history. -- Laura Hoestler, American Historical Review