The presence of Islam and Muslims in Taiwan is not very old. Around 1949 thousands of Muslims from all parts of Mainland China migrated to Taiwan in company with the Nationalist government. Again in 1980 a big influx of Muslims from Thailand and Myanmar immigrated into this part of the world. The present population of Taiwan Muslims counts at about 60,000 which is 0.2 per cent of the total population. Most of the native Muslims are soldiers and public servants.
There is about 40,000 to 50,00 expatriate Muslim here who came from the other Southeast Asian countries. Most of them work in manufacturing or construction industry, or in taking care of the seniors.
Historically, Islam’s arrival in Taiwan can be traced back to the later period of Ming dynasty and early period of Chin dynasty. During his seven voyages to the West in the early 15th century, the great Muslim navigator Zenghe (Abdul Sabur Ma) landed on Taiwan and preached Islam to the natives.
Cheng Ho, a Ming general, came to Taiwan with his army in 1661. There are many Muslim soldiers in his troops who had brought their families with them to Taiwan and settled down there. The design and style of the mosque they built was like the mosques in Mainland China. During the Chin dynasty, Taiwan and Mainland China had a strong link. Muslims living in Mainland coasts also went to Taiwan with the tide of immigration so that they spread over the western coast of Taiwan.