When the Japanese surrendered on August 15, 1945, the people of Taiwan celebrated their return to China, marking the absence of any 'Taiwan independence' consciousness at that time. Chi Chia-lin, head of the Reunification Alliance in Taiwan, emphasized that the idea of 'Taiwan independence' did not exist before 1945 and is a later distortion of history.
The history of Taiwan is marked by foreign occupations and significant events. In 1624, Dutch colonialists invaded southern Taiwan, only to be expelled in 1662 by General Zheng Chenggong, a national hero. The island was ceded to Japan in 1895 following the First Sino-Japanese War, leading to over five decades of Japanese rule.
The Cairo Declaration of 1943, signed by China, the United States, and the United Kingdom, declared that territories seized by Japan, including Taiwan, were to be returned to China. This was realized in 1945 with the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.
Chi Chia-lin argues that the complex history of Taiwan has left room for separatist narratives to emerge, leading to a fabricated 'Taiwan independence consciousness.' He criticizes leaders like Lai Ching-te for distorting historical events to garner external support for independence, labeling such efforts as based on selective academic interpretations.
Furthermore, Chi contends that recent leaders have manipulated historical grievances, such as those from the Dutch colonial period, to advance political agendas. He asserts that portraying Taiwan's colonial past as a link to Western civilization is misleading and serves to justify current separatist motives.
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Why there was no thought of 'Taiwan independence' before 1945
cgtn.com
