On October 25th, the Chinese National People’s Congress passed a resolution to establish Taiwan’s “Liberation Day” as a national commemoration day in legal form. On the same day, the New York “Chinese Unification Association” held a celebration event, the “80th Anniversary Celebration of Taiwan’s Liberation,” echoing official actions in Beijing.
It is widely believed that Beijing’s intention is to incorporate “Taiwan’s Liberation” into the Chinese Communist Party’s narrative of the so-called “victory in the war against Japan” to reshape its legitimacy. However, both the political parties in Taiwan and the overseas Taiwanese community in New York strongly emphasize that Taiwan’s liberation belongs to the Republic of China and has no relation to the Chinese Communist Party.
The Mainland Affairs Council of the Republic of China pointed out that Taiwan’s Liberation Day commemorates the historical event of the Republic of China representatives accepting the surrender of the Japanese military in Taiwan on October 25, 1945, at a time when the Chinese Communist Party had not yet established its regime. The establishment of the “Taiwan Liberation Commemoration Day” by the Chinese Communist Party today aims to diminish the Republic of China and fabricate a false narrative that Taiwan belongs to the Chinese Communist Party.
The Kuomintang also declared that the Chinese Communist Party should “face history squarely” and recognize that the victory in the war was achieved under the leadership of the Chinese Nationalist Army, allowing Taiwan to be liberated and returned to the Republic of China.
The overseas Taiwanese community in the United States also expressed strong discontent towards the Chinese Communist Party. Yu Jinshan, chairman of the New York East China Association, bluntly stated, “What does Taiwan’s liberation have to do with the Chinese Communist Party?” He criticized the Chinese Communist Party as a “bandit party that distorts history, celebrating Taiwan’s liberation that it didn’t achieve, stealing the credit and putting it on its own face.”
The origin of Taiwan’s Liberation Day can be traced back to the end of World War II. On October 25, 1945, the government of the Republic of China held the ceremony of Japan’s surrender in Taipei’s Zhongshan Hall, ending 50 years of Japanese colonial rule over Taiwan. Since then, October 25th has been designated as “Taiwan’s Liberation Day,” symbolizing the recovery of Taiwan by the Republic of China and its return to sovereignty.
A Taiwanese expat in New York, Li Fang, pointed out, “Facts speak louder than words, and historical documents cannot be altered. The Republic of China is a legitimate government that continues to thrive even after retreating to Taiwan, never giving up its sovereignty despite being excluded from international organizations. Celebrating Taiwan’s liberation is a sign of respect and record of history.”
She believes that by “celebrating” Taiwan’s liberation, the Chinese Communist Party indirectly acknowledges the existence of the Republic of China.
“If that’s the case, the Kuomintang should loudly demand to return to the mainland to participate in Communist Party Central Meetings since the mainland belongs to the people, and the people have the right to decide the future,” Li Fang suggested the establishment of a “Democratic Mainland Liberation Commemoration Day,” to be advocated by the Kuomintang, symbolizing the regeneration of a democratic China.
Li Fang also sarcastically remarked that the Chinese Communist Party lacks significant holidays to celebrate, suggesting that they should commemorate events such as the Cultural Revolution Awakening Day, June Fourth Tiananmen Democratic Freedom Day, and the Hong Kong Democratic Demolition Day.
She concluded by stating, “The Chinese Communist Party insists on narrating history to the world but dare not mention how the government of the Republic of China signed treaties and regained sovereignty, only focusing on grabbing attention and manipulating opinions. Such celebrations not only lack significance but also expose their shame and pointlessness.”
This recent action by the Chinese Communist Party is not an isolated incident but an extension of the propaganda surrounding the “80th Anniversary of the Victory in the War against Japan.” Critics from the outside mockingly point out that “a political regime established only in 1949 celebrates a victory day in 1945; a country founded 76 years ago loudly proclaims the 80th anniversary of the victory in the war.”
Some members of the Fujian community, who are concerned about Taiwan, worry that “abandoning the past is equivalent to abandoning the future.” Yu Jinshan also agreed, pointing out that the ambiguity and distortion of history will have a profound impact on the next generation. He believes that currently, “children in Taiwan are being brainwashed on both sides – on one hand, official education neglects Chinese modern history; on the other hand, adolescents are subjected to united front propaganda on platforms like TikTok.” In the long run, this may lead to the new generation losing their ability to judge history and their cultural roots.