Although many advocated annexation, this was prevented by the Teller Amendment, which states "hereby disclaims any disposition of intention to exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction, or control over said island except for pacification thereof, and asserts its determination, when that is accomplished, to leave the government and control of the island to its people".
My visit to the institute concluded with a tour of a room full of wall-mounted maps, carefully assembled to build the picture of China's historical control over islands in the region, especially those in the Spratly chain.
aThe use of 'Taiwan' in this paper should not be taken as recognition by the authors of a separate Taiwanese state, nor a rejection of the 'One-China' principle, but rather a simple appellation to describe the people and government who currently reside and possess control over the island of Taiwan and other outlying islands.
Citizens also backed specific measures that included greater national control over the island's natural resources.
But, they say, the mainland leadership would be unlikely to allow Taiwan to make any move that would undermine China's aim of regaining control over the island.
China and Taiwan split amid civil war in 1949 and Beijing has long sought to assert its control over the island, using military force if necessary.
They argue that the pact was negotiated in secret and will allow China to gain greater political control over the island.
Under the terms of the convention, Kandy was annexed to the other British holdings in Ceylon, giving Britain complete control over the island.
This year it is exactly 200 years since the British established complete control over the island they called Ceylon, marching into Kandy – the last stronghold of the Sinhalese Kings – in 1815.
But other sources of ire among the Rapanui have also emerged, including bitterness over privileges like subsidized housing that have been extended to some mainland Chileans, competition for jobs in the lucrative tourism trade and the mainland's control over the island's affairs.
