Flags common to Taiwan and China

Taiwan, China

Last modified: 2000-01-21 by phil nelson
Keywords: taiwan | china |
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Crampton's "The Flags of the World" has five pictures of pre-revolutionary Chinese flags taken from a collection of cigarette cards. He stated that the flags were used in pre-revolution China and are still in use.
Jorge Candeias, 1998-March-30

• Taiwan, Republic of China
• Chinese Customs
• Salt Administration
• Minister of Navy
• Admiral's Rank Flag

See also:

• China

Chinese Customs Flag

The Custom's flag is shown in the 1939 Flaggenbuch and dates from the Republic of China (Kuomintang regime). I don't know if it is still in use, and the 1990 Album des Pavillons shows a different flag for the Director General of Customs, which is also shown in Flaggenbuch.
Norman M. Martin, 1998-March-30

A flag similar to this is shown in the 1930 edition of Jane's Fighting Ships as well as being identified by Whitney Smith (1975) as the Merchantile ensign. The flag differs in that it has of the yellow and gold stripes shown instead of the green stripes shown in this flag.
Glen Robert-Grant Hodgins, 1998-March-30

Flag of the Salt Administration

This flag of the Salt Administration also dates from the Kuomintang regime in the Republic of China. It is shown in the 1930 Flaggenbuch.
Norman M. Martin, 1998-March-30

Minister of the Navy

Description: The flag of the Minister of the navy is shown in both the 1919 and 1930 edition of Jane's Fighting Ships. It is a blue flag with two white crossed anchors.
Glen Robert-Grant Hodgins, 1998-March-30

The nationlist takeover of 1928 caused a minor design modification. I could find no documentation to support the note I have that the design remained the same except a narrow border was placed along the edges. As no evidence esists, from my available sources, it does stand the test of rational deduction since all other rank flags were modified by adding, if not already present, narrow red elements.
C. Eugene Baldwin, 1998-DEC-06

Admiral's Rank Flag

Description: This flag is listed in the 1919 edition of Jane's Fighting Ships. It consists of the canton of the Taiwan flag. The 1930 edition of Jane's Fighting Ships shows a similar Admiral rank flag with a thin horizontal stripe running across the top edge of the flag.
Glen Robert-Grant Hodgins, 1998-March-30

The former rank foag was the KMT flag. Thus, the adoption of this flag as the jack, necessitated a modification to the Admiral's Rank Flag. This was accomplished by adding a narrow red stripe along the topmost edge of the existing flag.

Note: A story told to me many years ago involved the selection of the Chinese Nationalist jack and the admiral rank flag went something to this effect. Several Admirals complained to Chain Kai-Shek about taking all the admiral flags for jacks and they were left without the highest naval rank flag. So until more flagswere approved and manufactured, the admirals would be undistinguished by an approved rank flag. To which he (Chain Kai-shek) replied by grabbing a Vice-Admiral's flag nearby and turning it upside down saying "Admiral behold your newly approved rank flag." This may explain why all the remaining flags were changed to include red stripes in some manner.
C. Eugene Baldwin, 1998-DEC-09