A little history lesson...

People and History
The population of Taiwan is over 23 million, most of whom live in the cities and villages of the plains and foothills, largely on the west side of the island. About 400,000 (a little under 2%), are Aborigines, the island's original inhabitants, who divide into eleven tribes (Though the government recognizes only 9 tribes) and are racially and linguistically related to the Malaya-Polynesian peoples. Scientists have discovered that they may have inhabited Taiwan for 15,000 to 20,000 years.

The largest segment of the population, often called "Taiwanese," makes up about 19 million or 85% (about 73% is Amoy [Ho-lo] speaking, 12% is Hakka). They are descendants of settlers from southeast China who began arriving in Taiwan about four centuries ago. They migrated from the provinces of Fujian and Guang-Dong to escape hardship and to seek freedom and happiness in Taiwan. At no time did these settlers come to Taiwan with the idea of contributing to the territorial expansion of China. Over the years, due to inter marriage, much of the populace cannot now claim pure ethnic roots.

However, a succession of foreign governments (the Dutch, Spanish and Ching [Manchu] Dynasty) took control of various parts of Taiwan from the 17th to the 19th centuries. In 1887 the failing Ching Dynasty made Taiwan a province of China, but eight years later, in 1895, when China lost the first Sino-Japanese War, Taiwan was handed over to Japan "in perpetuity." As a Japanese colony for 50 years Taiwan experienced considerable development in city planning, agriculture, industry, transportation, public health and education. At the end of World War II in 1945, the Allied Forces instructed the Chinese Nationalist Government to accept the Japanese surrender of Taiwan to undertake, temporarily, the military occupation of the island as a trustee on behalf of the Allied Powers.

In 1949, China fell to Communist forces, and the Nationalist Government, along with many soldiers and civilians, fled to Taiwan. And so, once again, the people on Taiwan were under the rule of people from outside - a rule presaged by a massacre, wiping out at least 20,000 elite Taiwanese leaders and youth by Nationalist troops, which began on February 28 [2-28], 1947 and lasted for several weeks. About 3million (13%) of the current population of Taiwan consists of these "Mainlander" troops and civilians and their descendants.

During the past decade we have also witnessed a great influx of migrant workers numbering in the region of 300,000. During the years since 1949 Taiwan has experienced rapid economic growth, so that it now has one of the highest standards of living in Asia. Meanwhile, the Nationalist government (continuing to claim in its constitution to be sovereign over China, Mongolia, Tibet, and Taiwan) has become increasingly isolated diplomatically, as most countries have transferred their recognition to the People's Republic of China as being the actual government of China. Taiwan is thus isolated from the community of world nations.

Except for the brief interlude from 1945 to 1949, Taiwan has been effectively separated from China since 1895. Because of this historical separation, Taiwan and China have developed along separate lines, resulting in quite different political, economic and cultural conditions. Despite the dream of the Nationalist Government in Taiwan and its rival Communist Government in Beijing that Taiwan must belong to China, it is in fact neither necessary nor desirable to try to join them together. Beijing claims so adamantly that Taiwan cannot "be separated" that they will not forswear use of military force to consummate “reunification”. It is these facts which make the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, and many others, prefer the "Independence" option, and support the sovereign rights of the people in Taiwan to choose their own future without outside interference.

Presbyterian Church In Taiwan (PCT)
Although Roman Catholic missionaries came somewhat earlier, Protestant mission work that continues today began in Taiwan with the arrival Dr. James L. Maxwell of the Presbyterian Church of England (today the United Reformed Church - URC) in Tainan in 1865 (this date is considered the beginning of the PCT). He was soon followed by Rev. Dr. George L. Mackay of the Canadian Presbyterian Mission (the Presbyterian Church in Canada -PCC), who began work in Tamsui in 1872.

From the efforts of the English missionaries in the south and the Canadian missionaries in the north, a Taiwanese Presbyterian Church began to take shape. Little modern development had been initiated by the government in Taiwan, until the Japanese takeover in 1895, but, interestingly, many modern institutions were first introduced by the church. For example, the first school, the first hospital, and the first printing press in Taiwan were all established by the Presbyterian Church.

During the Japanese colonial period, in spite of strong pressure from the authorities to use Japanese, the PCT continued to use the Taiwanese language in its activities. Because of the increasing militarism of Japan in the late 1930s all foreign missionaries were expelled, and this gave the church an early experience of complete independence. Evangelism among the Aborigines started at this time despite ruthless Japanese opposition. By the end of the war 4,000 -5,000 Aboriginal people were ready for baptism.
From The Presbyterian Church In Taiwan Website/History

Reverend George Leslie Mackay, 1844-1901
Son of Scots immigrants, Presbyterian missionary George Mackay was born near Embro in Zorra Township. In 1872, he founded the first overseas mission in Tamsui, Taiwan. An unconventional character, but sensitive to local needs, Mackay practised dentistry and trained local clergy. He married a Taiwanese, Tiun Chhang-Mian, and had three children. The "Black-Bearded Barbarian" worked in the Tamsui region until his death, established 60 chapels, several schools and a hospital. In 1881, he raised funds here in Oxford County to help build Oxford College, Tamsui, which later became a university. He was also an outspoken opponent of the Canadian head tax on Chinese immigrants. An inspiration to the evangelical missions movement in Ontario, Mackay remains a national hero in Taiwan.
(Ontario Heritage Foundation)