Taiwan protesters urge administration to respect legacy of national unity in resistance war

To mark Monday's 88th anniversary of the July 7 Incident - the beginning of Japan's full-scale invasion of China in 1937 — several civil society groups in Taiwan took to the streets of Taipei, urging the island authorities to respect the historical facts of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and oppose the pro-Japanese historical perspective.

The protesters emphasized that the shared history of resistance against Japanese aggression is a bond of national unity that cannot be severed by the Democratic Progressive Party's "Taiwan independence" narrative, criticizing the Lai Ching-te administration for distorting history.

Chi Chia-lin, the honorary chairman of the Reunification Alliance Party in Taiwan, said: "Taiwan people did not absent themselves from the country's anti-Japanese aggression war!" He highlighted the historical significance of commemorating the July 7 Incident, and said the anti-Japanese activities of Taiwan people was a crucial part of the overall national resistance effort.

Chi Hsing, the publisher of The Observer magazine based in Taiwan, said victory in the war against Japan led to the complete recovery of Taiwan and the Penghu Islands by China.

"Today, we are protesting outside the DPP headquarters to remind the party that Taiwan compatriots have a strong tradition of patriotism," she said.

"We hope the DPP will cease all 'Taiwan independence' divisive actions, return to the right path of history, and uphold the overall peace and development across the Taiwan Strait."