Shared history binds Chinese people across the Strait

Oct 25 marks the 81st anniversary of Taiwan's return to China, a significant event that holds a shared historical memory for Chinese people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. This occasion commemorates a crucial victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45). Reflecting on this history and tracing the evolution of cross-Strait relations remain important today.

In 1895, after the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) was defeated in the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-95), China was forced to cede Taiwan and the Penghu Islands to Japan under the Treaty of Shimonoseki. Japan integrated the island into its southward expansion strategy, enforcing political repression, economic exploitation and cultural assimilation. A governor-general wielded autocratic power, supported by strict policing and local security networks that brutally suppressed resistance. Economically, Japan treated Taiwan as a source of raw materials and food, following a model of "industry in Japan, agriculture in Taiwan". Culturally, Tokyo aimed to erase the Chinese identity by restricting the use of the Chinese language, forcing people to change their names and suppressing local customs and religious traditions.

Nevertheless, the resistance did not stop. Successive waves of resistance reflected the deep roots of Chinese national identity in Taiwan society and laid the foundation for Taiwan's eventual restoration.

Japan's invasion of Northeast China began with the Sept 18 Incident in 1931 and escalated into a full-scale invasion after the July 7 Incident in 1937. By the time of the outbreak of the Pacific War in 1941, China had already endured a decade of resistance, largely on its own.

On Dec 1, 1943, the Cairo Declaration stipulated that territories Japan had taken from China, including Northeast China, Taiwan and the Penghu Islands, should be returned to China. The Potsdam Proclamation of July 26, 1945, reaffirmed that the terms of the Cairo Declaration would be implemented, and Japan's Instrument of Surrender pledged to honor them.

On Oct 25, 1945, China accepted the surrender of the Japanese forces on the island, officially restoring Taiwan and the Penghu Islands to China's sovereignty. This victory was hard-won, achieved through 14 years of fierce resistance and immense national sacrifice.

This history belongs to all Chinese people. During the war, about 50,000 Taiwan compatriots reportedly made their way to the mainland to support the nationwide resistance, directly or indirectly. Lee You-pang, founder of the Taiwan volunteer corps, exemplified this commitment. Established in Jinhua, Zhejiang province, in February 1939 with the support of the Communist Party of China, the corps grew from just over 30 members to more than 380 by the war's end.

However, this shared history is now being fragmented. Separatist forces on the island whitewash Japanese colonial rule, downplay Taiwan's restoration and distort the nature of the war by adopting Japan's right-wing narrative of the "end of the war". But historical evidence cannot be erased by political rhetoric.

Taiwan has been part of China since ancient times, was ceded to Japan in 1895, and returned to China following the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War in 1945. The Taiwan question is fundamentally China's internal affair. Complete national reunification remains an unwavering mission of the CPC and a shared aspiration of the Chinese people.

On Jan 1, 1979, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress issued the Message to Compatriots in Taiwan, setting out the policy of pursuing peaceful reunification and opening a new chapter in cross-Strait relations. Since then, ties have made steady progress. In 1987, decades of separation began to end as family visits resumed. In 1992, the two sides reached the 1992 Consensus, embodying the one-China principle and laying the groundwork for institutional talks. That led to the "Wang-Koo meeting" in 1993, which gathered heads of two nongovernmental organizations authorized by the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.

In 2005, the Kuomintang party and the CPC engaged in party-to-party exchanges, building common ground against "Taiwan independence" and in favor of peace across the Strait. In 2008, direct two-way links in mail, transport and trade were established, and an Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement was signed in 2010. In 2015, leaders from both sides held a historic meeting, marking a milestone in high-level dialogue.

In the new era, the mainland has upheld the principle that people on both sides of the Strait belong to one family, introducing measures to benefit Taiwan residents and businesses. These efforts have brought people from both sides of the Taiwan Strait closer. At the same time, the mainland has firmly opposed separatist activities and safeguarded national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

History must not be divided. People on both sides suffered from the war and remember the indomitable spirit of Lee and the Taiwan volunteer corps. This common heritage, reinforced by decades of exchanges and integration, forms an enduring bond across the Strait and a vital foundation for resisting separatism.

The author is a researcher at the Institute of Modern History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

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