Geography of Taiwan its narrowest. Part of the continental shelf, the Strait is no more than deep, and has become a land bridge during glacial periods. To the south, the island of Taiwan is separated from the Philippine island of Luzon by the -wide Luzon Strait. The South China Sea lies to the southwest, the East China Sea to the north, and the Philippine Sea to the east. Smaller islands of the archipelago include the Penghu islands in the Taiwan Strait west of the main island, with an area of , the tiny islet of Xiaoliuqiu off the southwest coast, and Orchid Island
Central Bank of the Republic of China (Taiwan) China. Following the success of the Northern Expedition, the Central Bank took over the role of central bank for China from the Bank of China in 1928, with its headquarters in Shanghai. Before 1949, it was one of China's "Big Four" national banks, along with the Bank of China, Bank of Communications, and Farmers Bank of China. After the loss of mainland China in the Chinese Civil War by the Kuomintang (KMT) and its subsequent retreat to Taiwan in December 1949, the Central Bank of China also moved along with the government to Taiwan. Until it was re-established as central