The Legislative Yuan is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of China (Taiwan) located in Taipei. Until the constitutional amendments of 1991, the Legislative Yuan, along with the National Assembly (electoral college) and the Control Yuan (upper house) formed the tricameral parliament under the original 1947 Constitution.
Originally located in Nanking, the Legislative Yuan is composed of 113 legislators, which are directly elected by people of the Free Area through a parallel voting system for 4-year terms (previously, the Legislative Yuan had 759 members representing each province, municipalities, Tibet, Outer Mongolia and other professions). Like parliaments or congresses of other countries, the Legislative Yuan is responsible for the passage of legislation, which is then sent to the President for signing. For these similarities, it is also common for people to refer to the Legislative Yuan as "the parliament" (國會; Guóhuì; Kok-hōe).
Under the current amended Constitution and in accordance with the separation of powers, the Legislative Yuan, as the only parliamentary body, also holds the power to initiate several constitutional processes, including initiating constitutional amendments (then determined by a national referendum), recalls of the President (then determined by a recall vote), and impeachments of the President (then judged by the Constitutional Court).
1948May, 18
The First Legislative Yuan of the Republic of China officially convenes in Nanking.
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Events on 1948
- 3Apr
Marshall Plan
United States President Harry S. Truman signs the Marshall Plan, authorizing $5 billion in aid for 16 countries. - 14May
1948 Arab-Israeli War
Israel is declared to be an independent state and a provisional government is established. Immediately after the declaration, Israel is attacked by the neighboring Arab states, triggering the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. - 15May
1948 Arab-Israeli War
Following the expiration of The British Mandate for Palestine, the Kingdom of Egypt, Transjordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia invade Israel thus starting the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. - 16Jul
1948 Arab-Israeli War
Following token resistance, the city of Nazareth, revered by Christians as the hometown of Jesus, capitulates to Israeli troops during Operation Dekel in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. - 3Aug
Alger Hiss
Whittaker Chambers accuses Alger Hiss of being a communist and a spy for the Soviet Union.