Hong Kong to Taipei

This engraving depicts a battle in the Strait of Taiwan near the Penghu Islands during the Sino-French War in 1885.

The three flags of the Republic of China (or Taiwan) together. The first national flag is in the centre, to the left is the army flag, and to the right is the current flag made the official flag of the ROC in 1928.

1863 - Map of the Taiwan (or Formosa) Strait during Chinese rule.

Representative of China addresses the UN General Assembly in 2007 following the decision to exclude the latest application of Taiwan to join the UN.

Dutch flotillas sailing across the Taiwan Strait during the Battle of Zeelandia on Taiwan in 1661. Taiwan is depicted in the top middle of the image, and mainland China to the far left.

Taiwan's flag, the flag of the Republic of China, was first used on mainland China in 1917, but became the flag of Taiwan when the ROC officially moved to the island in 1949.

The Taiwanese campaign in the late 18th century saw the Chinese suppress a revolt in Taiwan.

Celebrating the return of Japanese-ruled Taiwan to Chinese control at the end of World War II. Only a few years later, Taiwan began to fight for its independence.

Tensions between China and Taiwan have been on-going for many centuries. This is the scene from the Taiwanese campaign in 1787.

Chairman Mao Zedong at Tianamen Square announcing the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.

Battle in the Taiwan Strait as Dutch ships battle the Chinese in the war over Taiwan.

In 2008, the election of president Ma Ying-jeou aided communications between China and Taiwan.

Small passenger boats sail into the Taiwan Strait from a port near Kaohsiung in the south of Taiwan.

Three routes of a proposed underwater tunnel between China and Taiwan Island, which have since been dismissed.

A large passenger boat brings tourists into the harbour at Kaohsiung.

Depiction of a 17th century Japanese trading ship journeying the choppy seas to Taiwan.

Since trade negotiations between China and Taiwan have begun, commercial ships and fishing boats move more freely across the Taiwan Strait.

Dusk at Kaohsiung Harbour. Trade is one of the biggest industries in Taiwan, and has led to the growth of several large harbour cities on the island.

Map of Japanese sea trade routes in the 16th and 17th century. Note the importance of the Taiwan Strait with links to Taiwan and Macau to Nagasaki.

1781 - Map depicting Taiwan and the Taiwan Strait as part of the territory controlled by Japanese Satsuma trading vessels, showing routes between Taiwan and mainland China.

Taoyuan airport near Taipei serves planes flying across the Taiwan Strait. Since 2008, planes have been allowed to fly directly between China and Taiwan.

Boats in the Taiwan Strait at Xiamen, Fujian province in China.

The port at Kaohsiung in Taiwan - cross-Strait trade has begun to flow in and out of Taiwan's west-coast ports.

The largest harbour in Taiwan is at Kaohsiung. The city has benefitted greatly from the opening of trade between China and Taiwan in recent years.

New trade regulations between China and Taiwan mean that ships sail regularly between the ports of Xiamen and Tainan for the first time in 60 years.

Projection of the path of Typhoon Megi. In spite of knowing the predicted path of the typhoon, two cargo vessels sank in the Strait due to huge storm surges.

Debris from landslides caused by Typhoon Morakot, that hit Taiwan in 2009.

Diagram illustrating how typhoons are formed. The arrows show the direction of air currents - warm air rises and cools causing it to sink, making clouds spin and grow into a typhoon.

The most destructive typhoon in Taiwan's history, Typhoon Morakot, stripped the landscape and caused huge landslides.

Satellite image of Typhoon Morakot over the Taiwan Strait. Typhoons are the same as hurricanes, but they occur in the northwest Pacific region.

The path of Typhoon Morakot, originating in the Pacific Ocean and travelling west to hit Taiwan. Points on the line show the strength of the typhoon - the lighter the colour, the more powerful the storm.

Fishing vessels docked in the calm waters of a Taiwan harbour.

Typhoon Megi on course to hit Taiwan (top left). Megi sank two cargo vessels in the Taiwan Strait in 2010.

Storm clouds brew above the South China Sea. Storms are frequent in this part of the Pacific, due to the warm sea evaporating, and condensing as it rises and cools to form clouds.

Chinese vessels crossing the Taiwan Strait during the Taiwanese Campaign, 1787-1788.

Typhoon Megi over the South China Sea. Strong winds forced the sea through the narrow Taiwan Strait, causing storm surges through the channel.

A ship in the choppy East China Sea that feeds into the Taiwan Strait, where strong currents are exacerbated by the narrowing shape of the Strait.

Even the largest ships are at risk if they venture into the Taiwan Strait during a storm.