The clash began when Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te referred to this year’s 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and Taiwan’s return to China as simply the 'end of war'. Critics argue that this phrasing echoes Japanese militarism rather than honoring China’s triumph.
While compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait held commemorative events, Taiwan authorities under the DPP notably skipped official celebrations. In editorials, United Daily News branded Lai’s wording 'absurd', and a China Times commentary warned that it risks legitimizing Japan’s colonial rule over Taiwan.
The criticism intensified after Lai praised the 'foresight of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe' for Taiwan’s current peace and stability. DPP Secretary-General Hsu Kuo-yung added fuel by claiming 'there was no Taiwan Restoration Day' and that residents of Taiwan 'were Japanese at the time'. A recent YouTube poll by Chinatimes.com revealed that over 95 percent of respondents rejected Hsu’s view.
Analysts say these remarks form part of a broader DPP agenda that, while professing to defend Taiwan’s autonomy, undermines the dignity and historical memory of the Chinese nation. Public dissatisfaction is on the rise: United Daily News’ annual cross-strait relations poll shows 63 percent disapprove of Lai’s handling of cross-strait affairs, up 20 percentage points from last year.
Even as Typhoon Ragasa claimed nearly 20 lives in Taiwan, commentary on UDN.com criticized the leader’s 'defensive resilience' rhetoric as focused more on 'anti-China' sentiment than on disaster prevention.
Chen Fu-yu, chairman of the ChinaTide Association, accused the DPP of distorting history and glorifying Japanese colonial rule in its pursuit of 'relying on foreign forces to seek independence'. He warned that residents living in Taiwan today will never allow any force to separate Taiwan from China.
Reference(s):
Taiwan leader's pro-Japanese-aggressor remarks criticized as 'absurd'
cgtn.com
