Beijing hosts sharing event marking 80th anniversary of Taiwan's restoration

BEIJING, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Approximately 100 representatives from both sides of the Taiwan Strait gathered at a sharing session in Beijing Tuesday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's restoration to China.

Taiwan's restoration was a key outcome of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, said Zheng Ping, president of the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots, at the session.

He noted that international legal documents such as the 1943 Cairo Declaration and the 1945 Potsdam Proclamation affirmed China's sovereignty over Taiwan, while the five-decade resistance by people of Taiwan against Japanese rule further proved their Chinese identity.

In 1895, after its defeat in a war with Japan, the Qing government was forced to cede Taiwan and Penghu Islands to Japan. Fifty years later, after 14 years of relentless struggle, the Chinese people overcame Japanese aggression during World War II, leading to Taiwan's restoration to the motherland.

Lin Ming-cong, a descendant of the patriotic Lin family from Wufeng in Taiwan and head of an association for relatives of patriots in Taiwan, said in a video speech that hundreds of compatriots in Taiwan actively participated in resistance movements against Japanese colonial rule (1895-1945). Their sacrifices paved the way for Taiwan's restoration to the motherland.

Several young people from Taiwan also shared their thoughts on this issue. Lu Ying-chu, a student at Minzu University of China, recalled her great-grandfather's story.

"Having spent most of his life under Japanese colonial rule, he consistently wore traditional Chinese clothing and faithfully preserved our ancestral courtyard, clan shrine and genealogical records, which he regarded as the root and soul of our family, while longing for the end of the colonial rule," she said.

Lin Ching-mao, from Changhua in Taiwan and currently studying at Peking University, said that commemorating Taiwan's restoration is not only about remembering history but also about raising awareness on the island, especially among younger generations, while also serving to refute the secessionist historical narrative that promotes "Taiwan independence."

The event was jointly organized by the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots, China Daily, Beijing Taiwan Compatriots Association, and the association for relatives of patriots in Taiwan. ■