From the first direct ROC presidential elections in 1996, to the change of ruling party in 2000, and then on up to May 2008 when the KMT retook the reins of power, the historical relationship between "the Republic of China" and "Taiwan" has undergone countless-sometimes harmonious and sometimes clashing-permutations.
從 1996 年總統直選、2000 年政黨輪替，到今 (2008) 年 5 月國民黨贏回政權，「中華民國」與「台灣」的關係百轉千迴，兩者偶有交融，但也常見扞格。