The island of Taiwan (Formosa) was part of Fujian for about 200 year, from 1683 to 1885. Inhabited by aboriginal people of Malayo – Polynesian stock, it was colonized by Chinese from the mainland braving the short 145 – kilometer sea passage across the Taiwan Strait. An important intermediary port for Chinese trade with japan and other Asian countries, Taiwan came briefly under Dutch rule in the 17th century.