Taiwan: The Island Northeast of China (Not Japan)

Taiwan lies ~160 km (100 mi) off China's southeast coast, separated by the Taiwan Strait. Japan's southernmost islands (Yonaguni) sit ~110 km east of Taiwan—not northeast of China.

Orientation

• North: East China Sea → Ryukyus → Japan.
• East: Philippine Sea (Pacific).
• South: Bashi Channel → Philippines.
• West: Taiwan Strait → Fujian/Guangdong, China.

Key Facts

• Official name: Republic of China (ROC).
• Capital: Taipei (metro 9M).
• Area: 36,193 km² (38th globally).
• Population: 23.5M.
• Governance: Multi-party democracy, own military, currency (TWD), constitution.

Why the Confusion?

Map projections distort the East China Sea wedge. Taiwan sits at the junction of the East China Sea and Philippine Sea—northeast of the Philippines, east of China, southwest of Japan. Precision matters in a flashpoint region.