Home › Territories & Regions › Taiwan
Flag of Taiwan
Red with a blue canton and a white twelve-ray sun.
The flag of Taiwan is red with a blue canton in the top-left corner, and on that canton a white sun with twelve triangular rays. The design is known as the Blue Sky, White Sun, and a Wholly Red Earth. It is the flag of the Republic of China, which governs Taiwan; the People's Republic of China also claims the island, so Taiwan is treated as a special case on world maps and appears here under Territories & Regions rather than among UN member states.
About the Taiwan flag
The white sun emblem — the Blue Sky, White Sun — was designed by Lu Hao-tung in 1895 as a symbol of the Chinese revolutionary movement. The full flag, adding the red field, became the national flag of the Republic of China in 1928. When Japanese rule of Taiwan ended in 1945, the flag came into use on the island, and it has flown there since. The sun's twelve rays stand for the twelve two-hour periods (shichen) of the traditional day — a reminder of constant self-improvement and progress.
Taiwan flag colours
The flag uses three colours — red, blue and white. These are the approximate shades:
Taiwan flag facts
Frequently asked questions
What does the flag look like?
A red field with a blue canton in the top-left, carrying a white twelve-ray sun — the "Blue Sky, White Sun" emblem.
What do the colours and sun mean?
Blue, white and red stand for the Three Principles of the People — liberty, equality and fraternity. The sun's twelve rays represent the twelve two-hour periods of the day, a symbol of continuous progress.
Is Taiwan a country?
Taiwan governs itself as the Republic of China, with its own government and elections; the People's Republic of China also claims it. It is not currently a UN member, so it sits here under Territories & Regions.
When was the flag adopted?
The sun emblem dates from 1895; the full flag became the Republic of China's national flag in 1928 and has been used in Taiwan since 1945.