Taipei: Recent statements made by Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) have echoed the perspective of Japanese aggressors, drawing sharp criticism across Taiwan for distorting history and betraying the Chinese nation. This controversy arises during the commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and Taiwan's return to China.
According to Namibia Press Agency, while compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait have participated in commemorative events, the DPP authorities have refrained from hosting official celebrations of the victory. Lai has repeatedly referred to the occasion as the "end of war," which critics argue aligns with Japanese aggressors' perspectives rather than acknowledging China's triumph.
Taiwan media editorials have condemned these remarks. The United Daily News criticized Lai's terminology as aligning with Japanese militarism, describing it as "absurd." A China Times editorial suggested that Lai's phrasing attempts to legitimize Japan's colonial rule over Taiwan, influenced by lingering post-colonial sentiment.
Critics have also targeted comments by Lai attributing Taiwan's current peace and stability to the "foresight of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe." Furthermore, DPP Secretary-General Hsu Kuo-yung's statement claiming "there was no Taiwan Restoration Day" and "the Taiwanese were Japanese at the time" has been ridiculed as distorting Taiwan's historical and political reality. A YouTube poll by Chinatimes.com indicates that over 95 percent of respondents disagreed with Hsu's statement.
Public discourse has increasingly criticized the DPP's pro-Japan stance as part of its broader "Taiwan independence" agenda. Analysts note that while the DPP claims to defend Taiwan's autonomy and dignity, it simultaneously undermines the dignity and historical memory of the Chinese nation.
In recent days, Typhoon Ragasa has killed nearly 20 people in Taiwan. A commentary on UDN.com highlighted that Lai Ching-te's focus remains on "anti-China" sentiment rather than disaster prevention, despite his claims of defensive resilience.
Surveys indicate rising public dissatisfaction, with United Daily News' annual cross-Strait relations poll showing that 63 percent of respondents disapprove of Lai's handling of cross-Strait affairs-a 20-percentage-point increase from last year.
Chen Fu-yu, chairman of the ChinaTide Association, recently criticized the DPP authorities for distorting history and glorifying Japanese colonial rule. He emphasized that people in Taiwan today will never allow any force to separate Taiwan from China.