| dc.description.abstract | The primary objective of this paper is placed with the focus to investigate the development of trade between Taiwan during the period of Japanese Occupation and coastal China. First of all, we should clarify why Japan would, right after its take-over of Taiwan, immediately declare opening of the four “Treat Ports” since Ching Dynasty, which is what we say of “regular open port.” And how Japan could have designated eight others regional “special ports of importation and exportation” – the so-called “special open port --- for the demand of trade and supplies offering to people for daily necessities, while it could, on one hand, take care of the vested interest of the strong powers, and on the other hand accommodate to the request of port-opening petition as well as the needs for daily necessities of the people. And the so-called “special port of importation and exportation” refers to the eight coastal ports as Chiukang, Houlong, Wuchi, Lukang, Hsia Hukou, Tonshi port, Tongang, and Makong that were officially designated by the colonial Japanese government. As a whole, ports in Taiwan during the Japanese Occupation can be found into three types as: 1 “regular open port,” 2. “special open port,” and 3. “port of non-opening.”
Then, we will make use of the statistics information of customs during the Japanese Occupation and conduct one-by-one correlation and analysis against each kind of statistic document, and have the statistic figures of “special port of importation and exportation” correlated and analyzed with those of import and export trade of Taiwan. From such, we can conclude and analyze an overview of actual trade in process conducted between Taiwan and China, and upon such overview it can help demonstrate the changes regarding the relationship of division of labor in trade from Ching Dynasty to the period of Japanese Occupation between China and Taiwan.
Furthermore, in view of the primary reasons that impact on the recession of “regional” port, such as the functional recession of berthing and changes geographical environment, land-sea connection and infrastructure construction of south-north highway with Keelung, and Kaoshiung Port, and the establishment of customs and financial and currency system, each of the harbor ports has, as an act to cope with the gradual recession of ports and “magnetic effect” created by revolution of transportation space, worked very hard to render reform and transformation. And they have resorted to port-building petition movement, working in conjunction with local official and walks of life as gentry, businesspeople, and civilians, and have collectively petitioned to the Viceroy government. It is hoped that with such “port-building movement” each of the harbor ports can be transformed, and previous economic boom can be recovered.
To sum up, it is hoped that wit the above-mentioned elaboration and analysis a complete and clear picture of changes on the geographical environment and administrative system of ports in Taiwan from Ching Dynasty to Japanese Occupation can be perceived. In addition, we would also like to appreciate the role-play of Taiwan in the bilateral trade between Japan and China as well as the actual scenario and practice of continuous trade changes with China. | en_US |