China commemorates 80th anniversary of Taiwan's restoration, pooling strength for reunification

BEIJING/TAIPEI -- People on both sides of the Taiwan Strait on Saturday commemorated the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's restoration to China.

A high-level commemorative meeting was held in Beijing, attended by China's top political advisor Wang Huning.

Addressing about 500 attendees, Wang, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, called on people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to work together to advance national reunification, and to leave no room for "Taiwan independence" separatist activities in any form.

Saturday's meeting was held a day after the national legislature designated Oct. 25 as the Commemoration Day of Taiwan's Restoration.

Taiwan was occupied by Japan after Tokyo waged war against China in 1894. The occupation lasted for half a century. On Oct 25, 1945, a ceremony to accept Japan's surrender in the Taiwan Province of the China war theater of the Allied powers was held in Taipei. From then on, Taiwan and the Penghu Islands returned to China's sovereign jurisdiction.

However, the two sides of the Strait have fallen into a special state of protracted political confrontation due to an unresolved civil war dating back to the late 1940s and the meddling of external forces.

Wang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, noted that the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and Taiwan's restoration to China represented a great triumph and a shared glory of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation.

The establishment of the commemorative day reflects the Party's steadfast resolve to fulfill its historical mission and achieve complete reunification of the motherland, he said.

Wang stressed that people on both sides of the Strait should shoulder their historical responsibilities in promoting the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and realizing national rejuvenation.

Chi Hsing, publisher of The Observer, a magazine in Taiwan, remarked that designating the commemoration day resonates with the shared aspirations of the overwhelming majority of Taiwan compatriots.

She further noted that the move will rekindle shared memories among compatriots across the Taiwan Strait, inspire Taiwan compatriots to bear history in mind, carry forward the patriotic tradition, and strive for national reunification and rejuvenation.

On the other side of the Strait, a series of public commemorative activities was held on Saturday. In Taipei, despite autumn drizzle, people gathered at a downtown square to mark the occasion.

"Lanterns and decorations bring delight, victory songs everyone sings, echoing through cities and villages. Taiwan's restoration cannot be forgotten, cannot be forgotten," they sang in chorus, performing a spirited song written in 1946.

"Eighty years ago today, with the defeat of Japanese imperialism, Taiwan ended half a century of colonial rule and returned to the embrace of the motherland," said Wang Chuan-ping, vice chairperson of Taiwan's Labor Party. "This historic moment remains a shared memory for people across the Strait."

Lan Bo-chow, a well-known writer, said the establishment of the Commemoration Day of Taiwan's Restoration on the mainland enriches the significance of this year's observance.

Lan underlined the need to restore historical facts that have been distorted by some politicians in Taiwan, and present the truth to the public, thereby helping more people gain a clearer understanding of the direction for cross-Strait relations.