Taiwan's history began with indigenous peoples who inhabited the island for thousands of years. In the 17th century, the Dutch and Spanish established colonies, but the island was later taken over by the Chinese Ming loyalist Koxinga in 1662. The Qing Dynasty governed Taiwan from 1683 until 1895, when it was ceded to Japan after the First Sino-Japanese War. Under Japanese rule, Taiwan underwent significant modernization and infrastructure development. After World War II, Taiwan was placed under Chinese Nationalist control. Following the Chinese Civil War, the Nationalists retreated to Taiwan in 1949, leading to ongoing political tensions with Mainland China.