Members of the Taiwanese Student Association gathered Tuesday on Lowry Mall, played games and ate traditional food to celebrate 100 years.

Students from the organization manned four separate tables, each dedicated to a significant facet of Taiwan: games, food, tourism and celebrities.

“This year is our centennial, so we are kind of celebrating this year,” TSA President Will Tsai said. “I want to let foreigners get to know our country. A lot of people are still confused about the China and Taiwan things. It’s sensitive, I know, but I just want to let foreigners know that we have our own government and we are completely different from China.”

The Republic of China was officially founded on Jan. 1, 1912, but had been born a year prior. Taiwan had formerly been under Japanese rule when the Republic of China, or ROC as many members of the organization referred to it, was founded. Taiwan wasn’t governed by the ROC until after World War II.

Nonetheless, next year’s TSA President Shih-Yao Lin said he thinks it’s especially important for people to understand both countries.

“If they want to understand China, then they have to understand Taiwan too,” he said. “Then, they can understand why we are different and better understand Chinese culture.”

This is why events, such as the events on Tuesday, are held, he said.

“A lot of people don’t understand Taiwan’s culture and Taiwan’s history,” Shih-Yao Lin said. “I’m trying to give people a place to understand Taiwan. A lot of people, if they have ever been to Taiwan, have a great experience there. They think Taiwan is a very friendly environment.”

Shih-Yao Lin lives in Taiwan and said he is enjoying his first semester at MU.

“MU is a very friendly environment, especially for an international student,” he said. “Sometimes, Americans are not very friendly to international students. But here, things are different. People here try to understand our culture so that when we’re here, they can have a good experience with the international student.”

Tsai said students seemed to be interested in the day’s events.

“A lot of residents from different international associations came and visited our event,” he said. “I think that’s good because we had a lot of games here – just a lot of Americans like to enjoy that kind of stuff.”

Students passing by could donate a dollar for a glass of bubble milk tea. The funds raised from this venture were donated to the Rainbow House, a charity dedicated to ending child abuse in mid-Missouri. Tsai said a few members of TSA are affiliated with the organization, so he found it fitting to donate to it.

TSA is an organization targeted mostly toward international students, but Tsai said it has a diverse membership.

“The base of this association is Taiwanese,” Tsai said. “Of course, we have different foreigner friends. People bring their friends to our association. All of the Asian countries are familiar with each other, so whenever we have an event we join each other.”

Next year, Lin said his biggest goal as president is to continue opening the public’s eyes to Taiwan’s culture and history.