Republic of Formosa
The Republic of Formosa survived for only five months. The Japanese landed near Keelung on the northern coast of Taiwan on 29 May 1895, and in a five-month campaign swept southwards to Tainan. During the night of 4 June, on the news that the Japanese had captured Keelung, President T'ang and General Chiu fled to Tamsui, and from there sailed for the mainland on the evening of 6 June. The Japanese entered Taipei shortly afterwards.
Thomas Liao
Thomas and his elder brother pushed for Taiwan to be governed by "effective constitutional administration" in 1946, and by January 1947, Thomas had written about a Federated States of China, in which Taiwan was granted full autonomy. Alongside , Thomas Liao stood for election to the in 1947. Constitutionalism was a tenet of his campaign. George H. Kerr wrote in "Formosa Betrayed" that the Kuomintang nullified his election because "too many Liao ballots were marked with "imperfect calligraphy." Liao left for Hong Kong later that year, after his brother had been arrested in the aftermath of the 228 Incident. Liao and founded the Formosan League for Reemancipation one year after the incident. Liao later moved to Manilla, then Tokyo, in 1950. Liao later founded the Taiwan Democratic Independence Party in Kyoto. On 1 September 1955, he convened the Provisional Congress of the Republic of Formosa in Japan. Liao was subsequently elected president of the Republic of Taiwan Provisional Government on 28 February 1956. That same day, Liao issued a declaration of independence for Taiwan. Liao returned to Taiwan on 14 May 1965, stating, "I, Thomas Liao have been working for the interests and happiness of the Taiwanese people overseas for almost 20 years ... But now I recognize from the bottom of my heart that the biggest threat is the infiltration and subversion by the Chinese Communists. Thus, I have renounced my Taiwanese independence activities and have decided to answer the call from President Chiang's Anti-Communist Union, and hereby pledge to do everything within my power to fight for the great cause of defeating the Communists." Chiang Kai-shek granted Liao a full pardon. Shortly after his return, Liao was named founding director of the graduate school of chemical engineering at the College of Chinese Culture by Chang Chi-yun.