Taiwan compatriots invited to mark historic anniversary

Compatriots from Taiwan will be invited to attend a commemorative gathering marking the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's restoration to China, which will be held around Saturday on the mainland, a Chinese mainland spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Zhu Fenglian, spokeswoman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said that representatives from various sectors, including Taiwan compatriots, will be invited to attend the event, while related visits and exchange activities will also be organized.

Highlighting the significance of Taiwan's restoration as an important achievement of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45), Zhu said the commemoration aims to unite Chinese people from all over the world, including compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

It aims to bring them together to jointly remember the history of the war, pay tribute to the heroes who fought against Japanese invaders, safeguard the victorious outcome of the war, which is Taiwan's return to the motherland, and protect the common home of the Chinese nation, she said.

Zhu added that Taiwan compatriots are welcome to join their mainland counterparts in sharing the pride and dignity of being Chinese.

On Oct 16, Taiwan's "mainland affairs council" banned public officials from participating in commemorative events on the mainland marking the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's recovery. The order also requires members of school faculties, political parties and organizations, as well as related individuals, to refrain from participating in any mainland-organized activities or events.

Zhu condemned this separatist stance of "Taiwan independence" of the Democratic Progressive Party authorities, saying that it distorts and denies historical facts and undervalues the victory in the war of resistance.

"By intimidating and suppressing Taiwan compatriots from participating in related commemorative events, the DPP authorities have completely abandoned the national stance, which already faces opposition and will increasingly face more opposition and condemnation from the people of Taiwan," she said.

Referring to the DPP's demand of "equal dialogue" with the mainland, Zhu said it is an attempt to resume cross-Strait consultations without recognizing the 1992 Consensus, and distorts the historical and legal fact that both sides of the Strait belong to one China.

"In essence, this only creates obstacles for cross-Strait dialogue and consultations, and is doomed to fail," she said, emphasizing that the 1992 Consensus continues to serve as the anchor of peace across the Strait.

According to the spokeswoman, cross-Strait tourism is being mainly hindered by the DPP authorities, as tour groups from Fujian province and Shanghai have been unable to visit Taiwan despite having received permits from the mainland earlier this year.

"The mainstream public opinion in Taiwan supports peace, development, exchanges and cooperation. The DPP authorities have positioned themselves against such mainstream public opinion in Taiwan, and they are bound to be rejected by the people," Zhu said.

The mainland has introduced a series of measures to facilitate cross-Strait exchanges, including introducing free applications for travel permits for first-time visitors from Taiwan and expanding the list of entry ports supporting on-arrival permit applications.

"During the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), the high-quality economic and social development of the mainland will provide more opportunities for Taiwan compatriots and enterprises," Zhu said, adding that systems and policies promoting cross-Strait economic and cultural exchanges will be further improved.

lishangyi@chinadaily.com.cn