On October 25th, Taiwan commemorated the 80th anniversary of its retrocession. The Beijing authorities recently designated this day as “Taiwan Retrocession Day.” The establishment of this commemoration by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has sparked ridicule because at the time of Taiwan’s retrocession to the Republic of China, the CCP had not yet come to power. Even the relatively pro-CCP Kuomintang party recently criticized the Beijing authorities for not respecting history.
The CCP National People’s Congress passed a resolution on October 24th, designating October 25th as “Taiwan Retrocession Day,” marking the end of Japanese rule over Taiwan in 1945. CCP officials held commemorative activities on the same day, with Wang Huining, Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, in attendance.
The Kuomintang party in Taiwan stated on Facebook that if there is to be a commemoration of Taiwan’s retrocession, then history should be confronted and historical facts respected. It should be acknowledged that it was through the arduous resistance and efforts of the entire Republic of China military and civilians, led by the Kuomintang, that the ultimate victory was achieved, allowing Taiwan to retrocede to the Republic of China.
The Kuomintang emphasized that in the wake of the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, there were 22 major battles and 1,117 significant campaigns, with each main force on the front lines composed of Kuomintang soldiers bravely facing the enemy. History cannot be distorted, and achievements cannot be erased.
On August 14, 1945, Japan announced unconditional surrender in World War II. The Republic of China’s representative attended the Japanese surrender ceremony on September 2 of that year and signed, with General Chen Yi representing Chiang Kai-shek, accepting Japan’s unconditional surrender in Taiwan Province of China’s wartime zone on October 25.
Professor Chen Shimin from the Department of Political Science at National Taiwan University told NTDTV that the retrocession of Taiwan in 1945 occurred under the Republic of China government, not under the CCP government established in 1949. The Kuomintang’s rebuttal against the CCP is meant to underscore that Taiwan is part of the Republic of China, not as Beijing claims, that Taiwan is part of the CCP.
Records show that in the Republic of China, initially, there was “Retrocession Day,” also known as “Retrocession Festival,” which later became a national holiday named “Taiwan Retrocession Festival.” It was a statutory holiday in Taiwan and the Penghu Islands for many years. In 1995, it became a national holiday, and from 2001 to 2024, public institutions did not have the day off. In 2025, it was renamed “Taiwan Retrocession and Kinmen’s Battle of Guningtou Memorial Day,” commemorating the Battle of Guningtou that took place on October 25, 1949, during the second phase of the Chinese Civil War, and the day off was reinstated.
On October 25, President of the Republic of China, Lai Ching-te, wrote on Facebook about 76 years ago, the decisive battle that determined the survival of the Republic of China took place in Guningtou, Kinmen. Troops from all over the country repelled the CCP’s invasion, shaping decades of peace.
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council pointed out that Taiwan’s Retrocession Day has no relation to the CCP and has no connection with the CCP’s lack of significant contributions in the war against Japan. The Republic of China and the CCP are not subordinated to each other, and the CCP has never ruled over Taiwan, which is an undeniable fact.
The Mainland Affairs Council criticized the CCP for establishing “Taiwan Retrocession Day” in an attempt to enhance the propaganda of the false historical narrative and one-sided political framework of “one China, international recognition” to belittle the Republic of China and fabricate that Taiwan belongs to the People’s Republic of China, a narrative that Taiwanese people will absolutely not accept.
In response to the CPP setting up “Taiwan Retrocession Day,” senior Chinese dissident Tang Boqiao, who resides overseas, sarcastically commented online, “Is this an announcement to establish the legitimacy of the Republic of China? On October 25, 1945, the People’s Republic of China did not exist. It was the Republic of China that reclaimed Taiwan. This sounds more like a holiday declared by the Republic of China government. The CCP is delusional.”
Many netizens voiced their opinions: “It’s really unbelievable. Taiwan has been living well. Why do they insist on taking it back? If they are like siblings, why can’t they each live their separate lives? If they are enemies, Taiwan is already an island. What harm would there be in leaving them be?”
“Taiwan has already been retroceded. Pushing for unification with Taiwan is unsustainable.”
“They want to steal the achievements of the fathers.”
“When will we, the people on the Mainland, see our retrocession?”
“When will the occupied territories be retroceded?”
“Resident of the Mainland going to Taiwan without needing a passport or being subject to travel restrictions would be considered unification.”