View source for Flag of the Republic of China

{{Short description|none}}
{{Redirect|Flag of Taiwan|proposed flags from Taiwan independence advocates|Proposed flags of Taiwan|a full list of flags ever used in Taiwan|List of Taiwanese flags}}
{{About|the national flag between 1928 and 1949 in mainland China and in Taiwan after 1945|the Republic of China flag used before 1928|Five Races Under One Union|the flag of the People's Republic of China|Flag of China}}
{{Expand Chinese|中華民國國旗|date=April 2021|topic=gov}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024|cs1-dates=y}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox National flag
| Name = Republic of China
| Article = 
| Image = Flag of the Republic of China.svg
| Nickname = "Blue Sky, White Sun, and a Wholly Red Earth" ({{lang|zh-hant|青天白日滿地紅}})
| Morenicks = 
| Use = 110111
| Symbol = {{FIAV|110111}} {{FIAV|Normal}}
| Proportion = 2:3
| Adoption = {{Start date|1895}} (by [[Revive China Society]], original version)<br />{{Start date|1906}} (addition of the red field)<br />{{Start date|1911|10|23|df=y}} (naval flag)<br />{{Start date|1921|5|5|df=y}} (by [[Government of the Republic of China in Guangzhou|Guangzhou government]])<br />{{Start date|1928|12|9|df=y}} (in mainland China)<br /> {{Start date|1945|10|25|df=y}} (in Taiwan)<br />{{Start date|1954|10|24|df=y}} (standardized)<ref name="1954law"/>
| Design = A red field with a navy blue [[canton (flag)|canton]] bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays
| Designer = [[Lu Haodong]] (The [[Canton (flag)|canton]] of the flag) <br>[[Sun Yat-sen]] (The red field of the flag)
| Image2 = File:Naval Jack of the Republic of China.svg
| Nickname2 = "[[Blue Sky with a White Sun]]" flag ({{zh|t=青天白日旗|labels=no}})<br />Republic of China naval jack
| Imagetext2 = Naval jack
| Morenicks2 = 
| Use2 = [[Naval jack]]
| Symbol2 = 
| Proportion2 = 2:3
| Adoption2 = 1895
| Design2 = A white [[Sun (heraldry)|Sun]] with twelve rays on a navy blue background.
| Designer2 = [[Lu Haodong]]
| Image3 = File:Flag of the Republic of China Army.svg
| Nickname3 = 
| Imagetext3 = Army flag
| Morenicks3 = 
| Use3 = 001000
| Symbol3 = 
| Proportion3 = 2:3
| Adoption3 = 
| Design3 = A red field with a navy blue rectangular center with a white sun with twelve rays on top of the blue.
| Designer3 = 
| Image4 = File:Commander-in-Chief Flag of the Republic of China.svg
| Nickname4 = 
| Imagetext4 = {{ill|Presidential standard of the Republic of China|zh|中華民國統帥旗|lt=Commander-in-chief standard}}
| Morenicks4 = 
| Use4 = [[Presidential standard]]
| Symbol4 = 
| Proportion4 = 2:3
| Adoption4 = 
| Design4 = A red field with a yellow border and navy blue circle on the top, a white sun with twelve rays is on top of the blue.
| Designer4 = 
}}
{{Infobox Chinese
| title = Flag of the Republic of China
| pic = 
| piccap = 
| picsize = 266px
| t = {{linktext|中華民國|國旗}}
| s = {{linktext|中华民国|国旗}}
| l = Republic of China flag
| p = Zhōnghuá Mínguó Guóqí
| w = Chung<sup>1</sup>-hua<sup>2</sup> Min<sup>2</sup>-kuo<sup>2</sup> Kuo<sup>2</sup>-ch'i<sup>2</sup>
| y = Jūngwàh Màhn·gwok gwokkèih
| altname = Blue Sky, White Sun and a Wholly Red Earth
| t2 = {{linktext|青天|白日|滿|地|紅}}
| s2 = {{linktext|青天|白日|满|地|红}}
| l2 = Blue sky, white sun, wholly red earth
| p2 = Qīng Tiān, Bái Rì, Mǎn Dì Hóng
| mi = {{IPAc-cmn|zh|ong|1|.|h|ua|2|-|m|in|2|.|g|uo|2|-|g|uo|2|.|q|i|2}}
| tp = Jhong-huá Mín-guó Guó-qí
| bpmf = ㄓㄨㄥ ㄏㄨㄚˊ ㄇㄧㄣˊ ㄍㄨㄛˊ ㄍㄨㄛˊ ㄑㄧˊ
| tp2 = Cing Tian, Bái Rìh, Mǎn Dì Hóng
| w2 = Ch’ing<sup>1</sup> T’ien<sup>1</sup>, Bai<sup>2</sup> Jih<sup>4</sup>, Man<sup>3</sup> Ti<sup>4</sup> Hung<sup>2</sup>
| mi2 = {{IPAc-cmn|q|ing|1|.|t|ian|1|-|b|ai|2|.|ri|4|-|m|an|3|.|d|i|4|.|h|ong|2}}
| bpmf2 = ㄑㄧㄥ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄅㄞˊ ㄖˋ ㄇㄢˇ ㄉㄧˋ ㄏㄨㄥˊ
}}

The '''flag of the Republic of China''', commonly called the '''flag of Taiwan''',<ref>{{cite web |title=Flag of Taiwan |url=https://www.nationsonline.org/flags_big/Taiwan_Flag.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221008180150/https://www.nationsonline.org/flags_big/Taiwan_Flag.html |archive-date=2022-10-08 |access-date=8 October 2022 |website=nationsonline.org |publisher=Nations Online}}</ref><ref name="RTI2">{{Cite news |author=Leslie Liao |date=14 September 2022 |title=Taiwan flag bearer blocked from stage appearance due to Chinese pressure |publisher=[[Radio Taiwan International]] |url=https://en.rti.org.tw/news/view/id/2008212 |url-status=live |access-date=8 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221008180151/https://en.rti.org.tw/news/view/id/2008212 |archive-date=2022-10-08}}</ref><ref name="CNN2">{{Cite news |author=Michelle Toh, Wayne Chang |date=2 June 2022 |title='Top Gun: Maverick' brings back the Taiwan flag after controversy |publisher=[[Cable News Network]] (CNN) |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2022/06/02/media/top-gun-maverick-taiwan-flag-reinstated-intl-hnk/index.html |url-status=live |access-date=8 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221008180148/https://edition.cnn.com/2022/06/02/media/top-gun-maverick-taiwan-flag-reinstated-intl-hnk/index.html |archive-date=2022-10-08}}</ref> consists of a red field with a blue [[Canton (flag)|canton]] bearing a white disk surrounded by [[Dodecagram|twelve triangles]]; said symbols symbolize the sun and rays of light emanating from it, respectively.

The flag was originally designed by the anti-[[Qing dynasty|Qing]] group, the [[Revive China Society]], in 1895 with the addition of the red field component in 1906 by [[Sun Yat-sen]] in his speech.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |title=National flag |url=https://english.president.gov.tw/page/96 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201110191928/https://english.president.gov.tw/Page/96 |archive-date=2020-11-10 |access-date=17 November 2020 |website=english.president.gov.tw |language=en}}</ref> This was first used in [[mainland China]] as the Navy flag in 1912,<ref name="ROCN2">Official gazette of Ministry of the Navy of Republic of China, July 1912, page 344, [http://twinfo.ncl.edu.tw/tiqry/hypage.cgi?HYPAGE=search/merge_pdf.hpg&sysid=E10D4656&jid=00227485&type=g&vol=01070000&page=%E9%A0%81342-353 pdf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308125736/https://twinfo.ncl.edu.tw/tiqry/hypage.cgi?HYPAGE=search%2Fmerge_pdf.hpg&sysid=E10D4656&jid=00227485&type=g&vol=01070000&page=%E9%A0%81342-353|date=8 March 2021}}, National Central Library - Gazette Online</ref> and was made the official [[national flag]] of the [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic of China]] in 1928 by the [[Nationalist government]] and was also used by the Japanese-backed [[Wang Jingwei regime|Chinese Republic]] from 1943. It was enshrined in the sixth article of the [[Constitution of the Republic of China|ROC constitution]] when it was promulgated in 1947. The flag is no longer used in mainland China due to the ROC defeat in the [[Chinese Civil War]] and the [[Proclamation of the People's Republic of China|founding of the People's Republic of China]] in 1949. The ROC national flag has since then remained in use within the "[[Taiwan Area]]".

The public display of this flag is still seen in historical [[museum]]s and [[War grave|war cemeteries]] across mainland China, but its use otherwise remains illegal due to its history as a symbol of opposition to communism. Some supporters of [[Taiwanese independence movement|Taiwanese independence]] reject the flag due to its association with [[Chinese nationalism]] and as a statement of opposition against the [[Kuomintang]], although supporters of the [[Democratic Progressive Party]] and its leaders still retain and use the current flag both domestically and abroad.<ref name="ROCHK2">{{Cite web |date=July 2020 |title=Hong Kong protester arrested with 30 Taiwanese flags &#124; Taiwan News &#124; 2020-07-01 20:39:00 |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3957011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200902051141/https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3957011 |archive-date=2020-09-02 |access-date=2020-08-25}}</ref>

==History==
{{see also|Flag of the Qing dynasty|Flag of China|Blue Sky with a White Sun}}
[[File:China Burma India Seal.svg|thumb|upright=0.4|right|[[China Burma India Theater]] of World War II insignia, formed by the combination of both the flag of the Republic of China and the [[flag of the United States]]]]

The [[Flag terminology|canton]] (upper corner on the hoist side) originated from the "[[Blue Sky with a White Sun|Blue Sky with a White Sun flag]]" ({{zh|c={{linktext|青天|白日|旗}}|p=qīngtiān báirì qí|labels=no}}) designed by [[Lu Haodong]], a martyr of the [[1911 Revolution#First Guangzhou Uprising|First Guangzhou Uprising]] of 1895. He presented his design to represent the revolutionary army at the inauguration of the [[Society for Regenerating China]], an anti-[[Qing dynasty|Qing]] society in [[British Hong Kong|Hong Kong]], on 21 February 1895. This design was later adopted as the KMT party flag and the [[coat of arms of the Republic of China]]. The "red Earth" portion was added by [[Sun Yat-sen]] in winter of 1906, bringing the flag to its modern form. According to [[George Yeo]], the Foreign Minister of Singapore, in those days the Blue Sky with a White Sun flag was sewn in the Sun Yat Sen Villa or [[Wan Qing Yuan]] in Singapore by Teo Eng Hock and his wife.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110610153714/http://app.mfa.gov.sg/pr/read_content.asp?View,15231, ''The Straits Times'' (printed edition), July 17, 2010, page A17, 'This is common ancestry' by Rachel Chang]</ref><ref>[http://www.wanqingyuan.com.sg/english/onceupon/spsupp.html Dr Sun & 1911 Revolution: Teo Eng Hock (1871 - 1957)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091126010654/http://wanqingyuan.com.sg/english/onceupon/spsupp.html |date=26 November 2009 }}</ref>

During the [[Xinhai Revolution]] in 1911 that heralded the Republic, the various revolutionary armies had different flags. Lu Hao-tung's "Blue Sky with a White Sun" flag was used in the provinces of [[Guangdong]], [[Guangxi]], [[Yunnan]], and [[Guizhou]]. In [[Jiujiang]], the "Blue Sky, White Sun, and a Wholly Red Earth" flag was used on ships during a naval uprising. In [[Wuhan]], a flag with 18 yellow stars was used to represent the 18 administrative divisions at the time of the [[Wuchang Uprising]]. In [[Shanghai]] and northern China, a "Five-color Flag" ({{zh|c={{linktext|五色|旗}}|p=wǔ sè qí|labels=no}}) ([[Five Races Under One Union]] flag) was used of five horizontal stripes representing the five major [[nationalities of China|ethnicities of China]]: the [[Han Chinese|Han]] (red), the [[Manchu]] (yellow), the [[Mongol]] (blue), the [[Hui Chinese|Hui]] (white), and the [[Tibetan people|Tibetan]] (black).

When the [[government of the Republic of China]] was established, the "Five-color Flag" was immediately selected by the provisional Senate as the national flag. The [[:File:Chinese-Army-Wuhan-Flag-1911-1928 dots18.svg|"18-Star Flag"]] was adopted by the army<ref name="army">{{cite web |url=http://www.aiplus.idv.tw/soviet/FARMY.HTM |script-title=zh:中國歷代陸軍旗幟 |accessdate=26 December 2008 |last=Yu-liang |first=Tai |date=23 October 1954 |language=Chinese |archive-date=2019-12-01  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191201071653/http://www.aiplus.idv.tw/soviet/FARMY.HTM |url-status=live }}</ref> and the modern flag was adopted as a naval ensign.<ref name="navy">{{cite web |url=http://www.aiplus.idv.tw/soviet/FNAVY.HTM |script-title=zh:中國歷代海軍旗幟 |accessdate=11 December 2007 |last=Yu-liang |first=Tai |date=23 October 1954 |language=Chinese |archive-date=2019-11-29  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191129080701/http://www.aiplus.idv.tw/soviet/FNAVY.HTM |url-status=live }}</ref> Sun Yat-sen, however, did not consider the five-color flag appropriate, reasoning that horizontal order implied a hierarchy or class like that which existed during dynastic times.

After President [[Yuan Shikai]] assumed dictatorial powers in 1913 by dissolving the [[National Assembly of the Republic of China|National Assembly]] and outlawing the KMT, Sun Yat-sen established a government-in-exile in [[Tokyo]] and employed the modern flag as the national ROC flag. He continued using this design when the KMT established a rival government in [[Guangzhou]] in 1917. The modern flag was made official by ''National Emblem and National Flag of the Republic of China Act'' ({{zh|t={{linktext|中華民國|國徽|國旗法}}|p=Zhōnghuá Mínguó guóhuī guóqífǎ|labels=no}}) on 17 December 1928, after the successful [[Northern Expedition (1926–1927)|Northern Expedition]] that toppled the [[Beiyang government]], though the Five-color Flag still continued to be used by locals in an unofficial capacity.<ref name="1928law"/> One reason for this discrepancy in use was lingering regional biases held by officials and citizens of northern China, who favored the Five-color Flag, against southerners such as the [[Guangdong|Cantonese]]/Hakka Sun Yat-sen.{{Citation needed|date=August 2010}}

During [[the Second Sino-Japanese War]], the invading [[Japan]]ese established a variety of puppet governments using several flag designs. The [[Reformed Government of the Republic of China|Reformed Government]] was established in March 1938 in [[Nanjing]] to consolidate the various puppet governments employed the Five-color Flag. When [[Wang Jingwei]] was slated to take over the Japanese-installed government in Nanjing in 1940, he demanded to use the modern flag as a means to challenge the authority of the [[Nationalist Government]] in [[Chongqing]] under [[Chiang Kai-shek]] and position himself as the rightful successor to Sun Yat-sen. However, the Japanese preferred the Five-color flag. As a compromise, the Japanese suggested adding a triangular yellow pennant on top with the slogan "Peace, Anticommunism, National Construction" ({{zh|t=和平反共建國|p=Hépíng fǎngòng jiàn guó|labels=no}}) in black, but this was rejected by Wang. In the end, Wang and the Japanese agreed that the yellow banner was to be used outdoors only, until 1943 when the banner was abandoned, leaving two rival governments with the same flag, each claiming to be the legitimate Nationalist government of China.<ref>{{cite web
 |first=Andrew 
 |last=Cheung 
 |authorlink= 
 |title=Slogans, Symbols, and Legitimacy: The Case of Wang Jingwei's Nanjing Regime 
 |version=Working paper 
 |publisher=East Asian Working Paper Series on Language and Politics in Modern China 
 |year=1995 
 |url=http://www.indiana.edu/~easc/resources/working_paper/noframe_6a_sloga.htm 
 |accessdate=24 July 2008 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080226023546/http://www.indiana.edu/~easc/resources/working_paper/noframe_6a_sloga.htm 
 |archivedate=26 February 2008 |url-status=dead 
 }}</ref>

The national flag was specified in Article Six of the [[Constitution of the Republic of China|1947 Constitution of the Republic of China]]. The flag was also used in Communist-held areas until 1949. After the [[Chinese Civil War]] began to ease, the government of Chiang Kai-shek relocated the Republic of China to the island of Taiwan, whose administration was handed over to the ROC from Japan in 1945. On the [[mainland China|mainland]], the communist forces of [[Mao Zedong]] established the [[People's Republic of China]] and adopted their own national flag.

On 23 October 1954, the latest amendment to the ''National Emblem and National Flag of the Republic of China Act'' was promulgated by the [[Legislative Yuan]] to specify the size, measure, ratio, production, and management of the flag.<ref name="1954law">{{cite web |url=http://www.globalflag.idv.tw/wg/gqf.htm |script-title=zh:中華民國國徽國旗法 |accessdate=26 December 2008 |last=Yu-liang |first=Tai |date=23 October 1954 |language=Chinese |archive-date=2017-12-08  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171208094502/http://www.globalflag.idv.tw/wg/gqf.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Symbolism ==
[[File:Flag of the Republic of China (alternate shade).svg|thumb|The national flag in darker shades.]]
The "[[Blue Sky with a White Sun]]" flag of [[Lu Haodong|Lu Hao-tung]] was unveiled in February 1895 in Hong Kong. The twelve rays of the white [[Sun (heraldry)|Sun]] symbolize the twelve [[month]]s and the twelve traditional ''[[Chinese units of measurement#Time|shichen]]'' ({{zh|t=時辰|p=shíchén|labels=no}}), a traditional unit of time which corresponds to two modern [[hour]]s. Sun Yat-sen added the "Red Earth" to the flag to signify the [[blood]] of the revolutionaries who sacrificed themselves in order to overthrow the Qing dynasty and create the ROC. Together, the three colors of the flag correspond to the [[Three Principles of the People]]: [[Blue]] represents [[Chinese nationalism|nationalism]] and liberty; [[White]] represents [[democracy]] and equality; and [[Red]] represents the people's livelihood and fraternity.<ref name=":02"/> President Chiang Kai-shek proclaimed on the [[Double Ten Day|National Day]] in 1929, "As long as a national flag with Blue Sky, White Sun, and a Wholly Red Earth flies in the land of China, it will symbolize the independence and liberty of the [[Yan Huang Zisun|descendants of the Huang Emperor]]".

The blue-and-white canton of the ROC flag is often used as the party flag of the KMT. The flag has developed a great deal of additional symbolism due to the unique and controversial [[political status of Taiwan]]. At one level, the flag represents a clear symbol that Taiwan is not governed by the same government as mainland China, as this flag is different from the [[Flag of China|flag of the People's Republic of China]] (PRC).

Meanwhile, because it was formerly used as the flag over all of China, the flag has become a symbol of continuity with the ideals of the Chinese nationalism and [[Chinese unification]] movements, and has become a symbol of a connection both historical and current with mainland China. In addition, the flag is derived from the seal of the KMT, and the color of the field of the flag is associated with the KMT party colors.

Some Chinese see the flag as an expression of Chinese nationalism and pride combined with simultaneous disapproval for the current communist regime. Additionally, the flag may symbolize identification with, and admiration for the political thoughts of Sun Yat-sen, and his [[Three Principles of the People]].

One irony is that given the association of the flag with Chinese nationalism in opposition to [[Taiwan independence movement|Taiwan independence]], the ROC flag has found an unexpected ally in the [[China|People's Republic of China]]. The PRC has criticized Taiwan independence groups for wishing to change or abolish the ROC flag, and has implied that legal steps to do so would bring a strongly negative reaction from the PRC.

However, the presence of the ROC flag in Taiwan also distinguishes the fact that Taiwan and ROC territorial islands elsewhere fall under jurisdiction of a country separate from that of mainland China, the People's Republic of China (PRC). The hoisting of the ROC flag is even advocated by the most extreme Taiwanese independence supporters, such as [[Taiwan Solidarity Union]] members when emphasizing the separate and independently governed systems and territories of the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China in mainland China.

== Construction details ==
[[File:Flag of the Republic of China construction sheet.svg|thumb|National flag construction sheet (Chinese).]]
[[File:Republic of China(Taiwan) sheet.svg|thumb|National flag construction sheet (dimensional).]]
The specific designs of the flag are located in the ''National Emblem and National Flag of the Republic of China Act'' from 1928. The ratio of the flag is 2:3, with most of it being red. The first quarter is blue, which contains the sun surrounded by 12 rays. The radius of the white sun is the {{frac|8}} of the width of the canton (totally {{frac|16}} of the width of the flag). Each sun ray is 30 degrees, so the total sun rays will make up a complete 360 degree circle. The distance between the center of the sun and top of sun ray is the same as the diameter of the sun. The sun and 12 rays are divided by a blue ring, its width is {{frac|15}} of the diameter of the white sun.<ref name="1928law">{{cite web |url=https://www.globalflag.idv.tw/wg/gqfggy.htm#ghgqf |script-title=zh:中華民國國徽國旗法 |access-date=14 April 2023 |last= |first= |date=17 December 1928 |language=zh |archive-date=2006-10-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061021135542/http://globalflag.idv.tw/wg/gqfggy.htm#ghgqf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="flaglaw">{{cite web |url=https://law.moj.gov.tw/LawClass/LawAll.aspx?pcode=D0020020 |script-title=zh:中華民國國徽國旗法 |access-date=9 March 2025 |date=23 October 1954 |language=zh }}</ref>

In later years, more detailed instructions regarding of the [[Canton (flag)|canton]] area (also used as the flag of the KMT), were codified into law. In the drawing released in ''Act on the Methods for Party and National Flags Production and Usage'' ({{lang|zh|黨旗國旗之製造及使用辦法}}), the sun was drawn in more specific detail and mathematical values were given to all elements in the flag. In the law, the canton still had a ratio of 2:3, but the math values given were 24 × 36 meters. The diameter of the sun with rays is {{frac|6|8}} of height of the canton, so in this case, it will be 18. The diameter of the white sun without the sun rays is {{frac|4}} of the width of the canton, so it is 9. The blue ring that is on top of this sun and part of the rays is {{frac|15}} diameter of the white sun, so the size will be 0.6. The angle of the rays, 30 degrees, and the total number of rays have not changed.<ref name="kmtflaglaw">{{cite web |url=http://www.globalflag.idv.tw/wg/gqfggy.htm#zzjsybf |script-title=zh:黨旗國旗之製造及使用辦法 |access-date=19 September 2008 |last=Yu-liang |first=Tai |date=19 May 2006 |language=zh |archive-date=2006-10-21  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061021135542/http://globalflag.idv.tw/wg/gqfggy.htm#zzjsybf |url-status=live }}</ref>

The colors of the national flag are red, white and blue. However, the KMT party flag only uses white and dark blue; both flags are to be topped with a golden [[finial]].<ref name="colorlaw">{{cite web |url=http://www.globalflag.idv.tw/wg/gqfggy.htm#zysjbf |script-title=zh:國旗黨旗製用升降辦法 |access-date=19 September 2008 |last=Yu-liang |first=Tai |date=19 May 2006 |language=zh |archive-date=2006-10-21  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061021135542/http://globalflag.idv.tw/wg/gqfggy.htm#zysjbf |url-status=live }}</ref> The law does not list any specific color processes, such as [[Pantone]], to manufacturing or drawing the flag. The [[Ministry of the Interior (Taiwan)|Ministry of the Interior]] provides [[CMYK color model|CMYK]] values only for reference.<ref name="MOIfaq">{{cite web |url=https://www.moi.gov.tw/cp.aspx?n=10621 |script-title=zh:內政部全球資訊網-中文網-國旗大哉問 |access-date=9 March 2025 |language=zh }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Color scheme !! style="background-color:#0028cc;color:white" | Blue !! style="background-color: #f30001;color:white"|Red !! style="background-color:white"|White
|-
| '''[[CMYK color model|CMYK]]''' || 100, 80, 0, 20|| 0, 100, 100, 5~10 || 0, 0, 0, 0
|-
| '''[[RGB color model|RGB]]'''{{efn|name=extrapolation|Extrapolation based on the MOI's recommended CMYK values.}} || 0, 40, 204 || 243, 0, 1 || 255, 255, 255
|-
| '''[[Web colors|Hexadecimal]]'''{{efn|name=extrapolation}} || #0028CC || #F30001 || #FFFFFF
|}
{{notelist}}

== Uses ==
In the early years of the Republic, under the [[KMT]]'s political tutelage, the flag shared the same prominence as the KMT party flag. A common wall display consisted of the KMT flag perched on the left and the ROC flag perched on the right, each tilted at an angle with a portrait of [[Father of the Nation]] Sun Yat-sen displayed in the center. For the summits held between the KMT and [[Chinese Communist Party|Communist Party]] during the Chinese Civil War, the ROC flag was displayed at an equal position to the flag of the [[Chinese Soviet Republic]] (Jiangxi Soviet). Later, the flag law specified a horizontal display of the flag with the portrait of Sun Yat-sen in a portion of the red field at the center position. This display can be found in numerous government offices in Taiwan and is that which the [[President of the Republic of China|president]] and [[Vice President of the Republic of China|vice president]] face to take the oath of office.

The flag has a ubiquitous presence in Taiwan. The hoisting and lowering of the flag are ceremoniously accompanied by the [[National Flag Anthem of the Republic of China]] while those present stand at attention to give a standard [[salute]] with the right hand, held flat, to the right eyebrow. Schoolchildren have traditionally been required to attend morning rallies where the flag is raised after a rendition of the ''[[National Anthem of the Republic of China]]''. Before [[Martial law in Taiwan|martial law]] was lifted in 1987 in Taiwan, it was required that all vehicles be halted when passing by a flag ceremony.

[[File:Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg|thumb|right|The [[Chinese Taipei flag|Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee flag]] (known in Chinese as the 'Plum Blossom Banner') is derived from and used in place of the flag of the Republic of China at the [[Olympic Games]] and in some sporting events.]] Instead, the ROC is usually represented under a [[pseudonym]] (usually "[[Chinese Taipei]]").
The symbolism of the ROC flag began to shift in the early 21st century{{citation needed|date=May 2019}} as there was a warming of relations between the [[pan-Blue coalition]] in Taiwan and the Chinese Communist Party on mainland China. The flag of the Republic of China has begun to symbolize a common shared history between both mainland China and Taiwan, and as such the government of the PRC has made it clear that for Taiwan to change the flag would be a major provocation in favor of [[Taiwan independence]]. The ambiguity surrounding the flag was made apparent during the trip of Kuomintang Chairman [[Lien Chan]] to mainland China in April 2005, during which the flag was very prominently displayed at ceremonies honoring [[Sun Yat-Sen]] at which both KMT party officials and government officials from the PRC were in attendance. One place in mainland China where the White Sun emblem is still prominently displayed in public is the ceiling mosaic within [[Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum]] in Nanjing.

The use of the flag in Taiwan reflects the controversy behind its symbolism. Although supporters of Taiwan independence, such as former president [[Chen Shui-bian]], will display and salute the flag on formal official state occasions, it is never seen at political rallies of the [[Democratic Progressive Party]]. This is not only because of its association with mainland China but also because the flag contains design elements of the KMT party flag. By contrast, the ROC flag is always extremely prominent at political rallies of the pan-Blue coalition. This difference extends to the colors seen at the rallies. Rallies of the pan-Blue coalition give prominence to the colors of the ROC flag, with very large amounts of blue and smaller amounts of red. Rallies of independence-leaning parties are filled with green, with no blue or red at all.

Some supporters of Taiwan independence, including former president [[Lee Teng-hui]], have called for the abandonment of the flag, and there are a number of alternative [[Proposed flags of Taiwan|designs for a specifically Taiwanese flag]]. However, the prospects for this are not high given that changing the flag requires a constitutional amendment; that the current flag has a huge amount of support among pan-Blue supporters and grudging acceptance among moderate independence supporters; and because changing the flag might cause political tension with the PRC. During the 2004 ROC legislative elections, it was briefly suggested that if the pan-green coalition won the elections that it would force the KMT to change the party emblem to be different from the flag. This proposal generated a few days of controversy and was then quickly forgotten.

===Chinese diaspora===
There has been disagreement in the [[overseas Chinese]] community on which flag to fly to represent themselves, supporters and organizations of the [[Chinese democracy movement]] often fly the ROC flag rather than the PRC flag to symbolize opposition to Communist rule.<ref>{{cite news |title=The battle over which flag to fly in America's Chinatowns |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51129460 |access-date=4 April 2021 |work=BBC News |date=20 January 2020 |archive-date=2021-05-21  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210521104343/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51129460 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Rennie's Mill Middle School.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Tiu Keng Leng|Rennie's Mill]] Middle School flying the ROC flag in Hong Kong, 1995]]

Some Hong Kongers have historically flown the ROC flag to demonstrate their shared opposition to the PRC's policies, as well as to honor the legacy of Sun Yat-sen, as part of the [[pro-ROC camp|pro-ROC]] and [[pro-democracy camp (Hong Kong)|pro-democracy camp]]s.<ref>[https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1647095/kmt-supporters-anniversary-event-highlights-fight-save-old-monastery KMT supporters' anniversary event highlights fight to save old monastery]</ref><ref>[https://hongkongfp.com/2017/02/26/hong-kongs-pro-taiwan-camp-kuomintang-exiles-conservers-sun-yat-sens-heritage/ Hong Kong’s ‘pro-Taiwan’ camp: From Kuomintang exiles to conservers of Sun Yat-sen’s heritage]</ref> In recent years, however, due to [[2020 Hong Kong national security law|the PRC's tightening of state control over Hong Kong]], supporters of the ROC have faced severe restrictions in expressing their political support, especially in publicly flying the ROC flag or celebrating the [[National Day of the Republic of China]] on October 10th every year.<ref>{{cite news |title=National security law: Hongkongers celebrating Taiwan's Double Tenth public holiday risk secession charge, security chief warns |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3149680/national-security-law-hongkongers-celebrating-taiwans |work=[[South China Morning Post]] |date=23 September 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Fear of arrest in Hong Kong over Taiwan national day |url=https://hongkongfp.com/2021/10/09/fear-of-arrest-in-hong-kong-over-taiwan-national-day/ |work=Hong Kong Free Press |date=9 October 2021}}</ref>

===Desecration===
{{see also|Flag desecration#Taiwan}}
Under Articles 118 and 160 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of China, it is a criminal offense to insult either the national flag or the national emblem of any country. If it is a national flag or emblem of a foreign country being insulted, the name of the offense would be "obstructing state diplomacy"; if it is the ones of the Republic of China, the offense would be "disturbing order". Besides, insulting or damaging the portrait of Sun Yat-sen is also punishable as "disturbing order". The penalty can be either incarceration for one year or less, or a fine of $9,000 NTD or less.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://law.moj.gov.tw/LawClass/LawSingle.aspx?pcode=C0000001&flno=160 |title=Laws and Regulations Database of the Republic of China |access-date=2023-02-07  |archive-date=2023-02-07  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207234453/https://law.moj.gov.tw/LawClass/LawSingle.aspx?pcode=C0000001&flno=160 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://law.moj.gov.tw/LawClass/LawSingle.aspx?pcode=C0000001&flno=118 |title=Laws and Regulations Database of the Republic of China |access-date=2023-02-07  |archive-date=2023-02-07  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207234456/https://law.moj.gov.tw/LawClass/LawSingle.aspx?pcode=C0000001&flno=118 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2016/06/07/2003648084 | title=Two arrested for burning ROC flag - Taipei Times | date=7 June 2016 | access-date=2023-02-07  | archive-date=2023-02-07  | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207234455/https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2016/06/07/2003648084 | url-status=live }}</ref>

==Flag gallery==
{{Main|List of Taiwanese flags}}

{{further|List of Chinese flags}}

===Subdivisions===
{{Gallery |align=center |perrow=4
|File:Taiwan Province Flag.svg|[[Taiwan Province]]
|File:Flag of Kaohsiung City.svg|[[Kaohsiung]]
|File:Flag of New Taipei City.svg|[[New Taipei]]
|File:Flag of Taichung City 2025.svg|[[Taichung]]
|File:Flag of Tainan City.svg|[[Tainan]]
|File:Flag of Taipei City.svg|[[Taipei]]
|File:Flag of Taoyuan City.svg|[[Taoyuan, Taiwan|Taoyuan]]
}}

===Military flags===
{{Gallery |align=center |perrow=4
|File:ROC Ministry of National Defense Flag.svg|[[Republic of China Armed Forces|Armed Forces]]
|File:Flag of the Republic of China Army.svg|[[Republic of China Army|Army]]
|File:Naval Jack of the Republic of China.svg|[[Republic of China Navy|Navy]]
|File:Flag of the Republic of China Air Force.svg|[[Republic of China Air Force|Air Force]]
|File:Flag of the Republic of China Marine Corps.svg|[[Republic of China Marine Corps|Marine Corps]]
|File:Flag of the Republic of China Military Police.svg|[[Republic of China Military Police|Military Police]]
|File:Flag of the Republic of China Reserve Command.svg|[[Republic of China Armed Forces Reserve|Armed Forces Reserve]]
|File:Flag of the Republic of China Combined Service Force.svg|[[Republic of China Joint Logistics Command|Combined Logistics Command]]
}}

===Historical flags===
{{see also|List of Chinese flags|List of Japanese flags}}

====National flags====
{{Gallery |align=center |perrow=3
|File:鐵血十八星旗.svg|18 star flag; banner of the [[Wuchang Uprising]] subsequently used as the flag of the army of the Republic of China
|File:十九星旗.svg|19 star flag; a flag of the army of the Republic of China, {{circa|1913–1928|lk=no}}
|File:Flag of China (1912–1928).svg|First national flag of the [[Republic of China (1912-1927)|Republic of China (1912&ndash;1928)]]
|File:Flag of the Republic of China.svg|Current flag of the Republic of China (1928&ndash;present, in Taiwan after 1945). Also used as a naval ensign of the ROC since 1912.
|File:Flag of the Republic of China-Nanjing (Peace, Anti-Communism, National Construction).svg |The [[Flags of the Reorganized National Government of China|Flag]] of the [[Reorganized National Government of the Republic of China]], a Japanese [[puppet state]] during [[World War II]], was based on the Flag of the Republic of China.
|File:Naval Jack of the Republic of China.svg|The "[[Blue Sky with a White Sun|Blue Sky with a White Sun flag]]" was designed by [[Lu Haodong]] in 1895 and is still used as the [[Republic of China Navy|naval jack of the Republic]] as well as the flag of the [[Kuomintang]] (KMT).
}}

==Gallery==
{{Gallery |align=center |perrow=4
|File:ROC Presidential Office (0753).JPG|Chieh Shou Hall in the [[Presidential Office Building (Republic of China)|Presidential Office Building]] contains the flag and portrait of Sun Yat-sen which presidents face to take the oath of office.
|File:Pan-blue supporters during 2004 ROC presidential election with ROC flags.jpg|[[Pan-Blue]] supporters wave the ROC flag at a rally during the [[2004 ROC presidential election|2004 presidential election]].
|File:Washington Street, San Francisco (6453).JPG|Flags of the ROC, PRC, and [[United States of America|U.S.]] can be seen flying atop adjacent buildings in [[San Francisco]] [[Chinatown, San Francisco|Chinatown]]. Most benevolent associations in San Francisco, including the [[Chinese Six Companies]], continue to fly the ROC flag due to their close relations with the [[Kuomintang|KMT]].
|File:Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Seattle.jpg|ROC flag in the [[Taipei Economic and Cultural Office]] in Seattle.
|File:台灣駐美團體舉行元旦升旗儀式 (03).jpg|Flags of the United States and the ROC, 2016.
|File:中華民國外交部大廳 中華民國國旗與邦交國國旗 20150713.jpg|Flags of the ROC and its diplomatic allies.
|File:Closed Minsheng Post Office with Flags of th Republic of China and Double Ten Light 20141012.jpg|Four ROC flags in the Minsheng post office.
|File:Hung Lau 090111 29.JPG|Series of the ROC flags at the [[Red House (Hong Kong)]].
|File:WCTCショッピングセンター.JPG|WCTC Shopping Center in [[Koror]], [[Palau]] with [[Flag of Palau]] and ROC flags at this street.
|File:Interior in Constitutional Court, Judicial Yuan 20090706.jpg|View of the ROC flags in the [[Judicial Yuan]].
|File:01.24 總統出席內政部警政署「106年第一次署務會議」，並頒發新春紅包予警察同仁 (31651014364).jpg|[[Tsai Ing-wen]] with the ROC flags in the background.
|File:Flag of USA and ROC flying in Hong Kong protest 20191020.jpg|ROC flag seen alongside [[Flag of the United States|American flags]] in the [[2019–20 Hong Kong protests]], used as a symbol of political opposition to the PRC government.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chan |first=Michael |date=21 November 2019 |title=Taiwan as a Symbol of Resistance and Democratic Aspiration for Protesters in Hong Kong |url=https://taiwaninsight.org/2019/11/21/taiwan-as-a-symbol-of-resistance-and-democratic-aspiration-for-protesters-in-hong-kong/ |access-date=31 August 2022 |website=Taiwan Insight |language=en |archive-date=2022-08-31  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220831201409/https://taiwaninsight.org/2019/11/21/taiwan-as-a-symbol-of-resistance-and-democratic-aspiration-for-protesters-in-hong-kong/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
|File:1月3日(日)は東京タワーを台湾色にライトアップ 2.jpg|[[Tokyo Tower]] in Japan lit up with the ROC flag colors in 2021.
|File:Meeting Room in Nanjing Presidential Palace.JPG|Flag in mainland China, at the [[Presidential Palace (Nanjing)]]
|File:1945 liberation of Hong Kong at Cenotaph.jpg|Flag in Hong Kong, [[Liberation Day (Hong Kong)|Liberation Day]] in 1945
|File:Republic of China Flags.jpg|Flag in a propaganda poster ''Long Live the Republic''
}}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Taiwan|China}}
* [[Blue Sky with a White Sun]] (the national emblem of the Republic of China)
* [[Chinese Taipei Olympic flag]]
* [[Flag of the Qing dynasty]]
* [[Flag of China|Flag of the People's Republic of China]]
* [[Flag of Wang Jingwei regime]]
* [[History of the Republic of China]]
* [[List of Chinese flags]] (including PRC and ROC flags)
* [[List of Taiwanese flags]] (including ROC flags)
* [[Military of the Republic of China]]
* [[National Flag Anthem of the Republic of China]]
* [[Politics of the Republic of China]]
* [[Proposed flags of Taiwan]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Flags of the Republic of China}}
* [https://www.moi.gov.tw/cl.aspx?n=10609 Etiquette of Raising the National Flag, Ministry of the Interior (Traditional Chinese)] 
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20041209223041/http://www.gio.gov.tw/taiwan-website/aboutroc/national_flag.htm Government Information Office, Republic of China]
* [http://www.globalflag.idv.tw/wg/gqf.htm Law of the National Emblem and National Flag of the Republic of China (Traditional Chinese)]
*{{FOTW|id=tw|title=Republic of China}}

{{Taiwan topics}}
{{Asia topic|Flag of|title=[[Flags of Asia]]}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:China, of Republic}}
[[Category:Flags of Taiwan| ]]
[[Category:Flags of the Republic of China| ]]
[[Category:Flags introduced in 1928]]
[[Category:National flags]]
[[Category:Flags of states with limited recognition]]
[[Category:Flags with blue, red and white]]
[[Category:Flags displaying a sun]]
[[Category:Flags with cantons]]