On July 7, civil groups in China’s Taiwan region converged outside the DPP headquarters in Taipei to commemorate the 88th anniversary of the Lugou Bridge Incident. Armed with banners and shared memories, they called for a collective nod to history, reminding Taiwan authorities of the cross-Straits struggle against Japanese aggression and rejecting any push toward so-called \"Taiwan independence\".
The Lugou Bridge Incident, which ignited widespread resistance back in 1937, saw over 70 acts of defiance erupt across Taiwan within a month, according to colonial-era surveys. \"Young locals even crossed to the Chinese mainland to join the war effort,\" noted Chi Chia-lin, honorary chairman of the Reunification Alliance Party in Taiwan, at the gathering.
Participants aimed to \"teach\" the Democratic Progressive Party and Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te a history lesson about the island's role in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. They urged the DPP to honor shared wartime sacrifices rather than champion separatist rhetoric.
\"Today, as we commemorate the July 7 incident, we carry forward a national spirit that opposes separatism and works toward the reunification of the Chinese nation,\" Chi said. Over a dozen Taiwan-based civic groups, political parties and publications teamed up to organize the event, signaling a united front on this historical milestone.
For globally minded readers, this gathering underscores how shared history can shape modern debates on identity, policy and unity—reminding us that the stories we honor today can influence tomorrow’s world.
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Civil groups in China's Taiwan oppose separatism on July 7 anniversary
cgtn.com
