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Republic of China (Taiwan) Military Flags

Taiwan

Last modified: 2009-08-15 by phil nelson
Keywords: taiwan | sun |
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Ministry of Defence

[Ministry of Defense Flag] image by Miles Li, 29 April 2006
Source: Ministry of Defence website

Ministry of Defence Rank Flags

Minister of Defence

[Minister of Defense Flag] image by Miles Li, 29 April 2006
Source: Ministry of Defence website

Proportions: 2:3

Orange flag with yellow border, in the center an emblem consisting of red-white-blue vertically trierced golden bordered shield surrounded with a wealth mais (?).

Vice-Minister of Defence

[Vice Minister of Defense Flag] by Miles Li

Proportions: 2:3

Same flag with only vertical yellow borders.

Chief of General Staff of Defence

[Chief of Defense Staff Flag] image by Miles Li, 29 April 2006
Source: Ministry of Defence website

Proportions: 2:3

Orange flag with yellow border, in the center emblem consisting of a the national emblem (blue disk with white sun), behind it silver/gray vertical anchor, horizontal wings and in saltire a rifle and a sword, all within the mais wreath and topped with five-petal cherry blossom. The entire emblem has light blue background.

Deputy Chief of General Staff of Defence

[Minister of Defense Flag] image by Miles Li

Proportions: 2:3

Army flag

[Taiwan Army Flag] imagte by Miles Li, 26 April 2006
Ratio: 2:3 [FIS Code]
Source: Ministry of Defence website

Regarding the Taiwanese Army Flag, it can be in three forms:
1. Army Flag - no fringe, no white strip at hoist. Used in parades to represent the army as a whole. It is never hoisted (the national flag is used instead).
2: Army Unit Flag - yellow fringe, white strip with black letters bearing the name of the unit. Parade flag.
3. Army Unit Guidon (in the US sense) - as for (2), but smaller.
None of the flags carry battle honours. All military flags have red flagpole with silver spearhead finial and red tassels immediately underneath (no cord). National flag, however, has white flagpole with golden ball finial.
Miles Li, 6 February 2003


Air Force flag

[Air Force Flag]
image by Miles Li, 19 August 2006

This flag has a sky blue (slightly darker than air force blue) field, with the white sun on a blue disc at the centre. Two wings are stretched from the disc, overlap with a wreath made of two branches of rice, and on top of the entire badge features a plum blossom. The exact layout of the badge can be found on p.58 of Flags Through the Ages and Across the World by Whitney Smith. An interesting point about this flag is on the colour of the badge: it was originally yellow, but was changed into silver in 1981, making the details of the badge extremely difficult to be seen!
Miles Li, 06 May 1998


Aircraft Marking

[Taiwan Roundel] image by Željko Heimer

Blue roundel with white sun.

The roundel is similar to the coat of arms, only the sun is relatively larger in respect to the blue disk.
Željko Heimer, 6 February 2003


Marine Corps

[Marine Corps Flag] image by Miles Li, 2 Mayl 2006
Proportions: 2:3

Interestingly, even though the Marine Corps has always been part of the Navy, it used the Army flag during the Battle of Quemoy (Aug 23, 1958). To distinguish itself from the Army proper, a small blue rectangular flag with a white anchor was flown above the Army flag - hence a 'double flag' similar to some earlier Nationalist Chinese flags. The flag currently used by the Marine Corps is similar to the USMC flag.
Miles Li, 11 January 2000


Masthead Pennant

[Taiwan masthead pennant] image by Željko Heimer

Trapezoidal pennant blue with white sun at hoist and red at fly. The construction details are given in Flaggenbuch [neu39]. Width at hoist 15, width at fly 3, length of the entire pennant 150, length of the blue hoist field 30. Sun at the center of the blue field, height 2/3 of the hoist (i.e. 10)
Željko Heimer, 6 February 2003


Naval Unit Flag

[Naval Guidon] image by Jaume Ollé and Miles Li, 5 May 2006

The Badge comes from www.mnd.gov.tw - the two anchors represent the fleet and the Marine Corps respectively (even though the Marines Corps uses different flags). Each branch of rice has five leaves, representing the Constitution's separation of powers into five Yuans (executive, legislative, judiciary, supervision and examination). The unit/vessel's name would be written in black on a white vertical strip near the hoist. Fringed in yellow, white metal spearhead finial with red tassel.
Miles Li, 17 March 2004


Navy Honor Guard

[Navy Honor Guard] image by Miles Li

The 'usual' Navy Honor Guard flag is identical to the Army flag except the blue rectangle has a proportion of 1:2.
Miles Li, 17 March 2004


Army Navy and Air Forces Flags Act changes

The ROC Ministry of National Defence has just announced several changes regarding the "Army, Navy and Air Force Flags Act".

Changes include:

  1. The "Military Administration Districts Flag" renamed "Armed Forces Reserve Command Flag";
  2. The Guards Flag abolished;
  3. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Logistics and Guards Commander-in-Chief flags abolished, replaced by "Positional Distinguishing Color for Other Senior Officials" of an unknown design.
Miles Li, 18 April 2002