1624 年，荷蘭人得到廈門總兵的默許，從澎湖撤退到台灣。那時 台灣本島並不屬於明朝版圖 ，於是荷蘭人二度在大員（台南安平附近）登陸，開始了對台灣 38 年的統治。也由於荷蘭人對台灣的統治，引起了其他各國的不安，西班牙也於 1626 年五月，派軍隊 經過 台灣東北海岸的三貂角灣外海，於社寮島 ( 今和平島 ) 舉行佔領儀式， 1628 年占領淡水，築聖多明哥 塞 ，力圖鞏固西班牙勢力。直到 1642 年，荷蘭取代了西班牙在北台灣的統治地位，結束西班牙在北台灣長達十六年的統治。經歷了荷蘭人及西班牙人的短暫統治，台灣開始產生全島性的互動效應，進而產生第一個漢人政權，關鍵人物正是充滿傳奇色彩的鄭成功。歷經荷西到明鄭的統治與開發，台灣已經從原始社會邁入初期的商業與農業社會，從世界史的角度來看，台灣承繼南島文化、文藝復興以降的西洋文明以及漢文化，有衝突、有融合、有侵略、有互助，台灣，也在先民篳路藍縷中，一步一步踏上近代歷史的洪流脈動裡。
In 1624, with the tacit approval of the Xiamen general, the Dutch retreated from Penghu to Taiwan. Mainland Taiwan was not part of the Ming Dynasty at the time, so the Dutch landed again in Dayuan (near Anping, Tainan), beginning their 38-year rule. Dutch rule over Taiwan also caused concern among other powers. In May 1626, Spain dispatched troops through the waters off Sandiaojiao Bay on Taiwan's northeastern coast and held a conquest ceremony on Sheliao Island (now Heping Island). In 1628, they occupied Tamsui and built the Fort of Santo Domingo, attempting to consolidate Spanish power. It wasn't until 1642 that the Dutch replaced Spanish rule in northern Taiwan, ending Spain's sixteen-year rule. After this brief period of Dutch and Spanish rule, Taiwan began to develop island-wide interactions, leading to the emergence of the first Han Chinese regime, with the legendary Zheng Chenggong as a key figure.
