A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Friday rebuked Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities, led by Lai Ching-te, for downplaying and denying the historical significance of Taiwan's return to China from Japanese occupation in 1945.

Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, made the remarks in response to a media inquiry as Friday marks the 79th anniversary of Taiwan's restoration.

Instead of commemorating the historic event, the DPP authorities led by Lai chose to whitewash Taiwan's colonial past under Dutch and Japanese rules, Zhu noted.

Such actions are a flagrant denial of the outcomes of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, and a grave dishonor to the sacrifices of Chinese compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, Zhu said.

In July 1894, Japan launched a war of aggression against China. In the following year, the defeated Qing government was forced to cede Taiwan and the Penghu Islands to Japan.

On December 1, 1943, China, the U.S. and the UK issued the Cairo Declaration, stating that it was the purpose of the three allies that all the territories Japan had stolen from China, such as Northeast China, Taiwan and the Penghu Islands, should be restored to China.

On July 26, 1945, the Potsdam Proclamation was signed by China, the U.S. and the UK, and subsequently recognized by the Soviet Union. It reiterated: "The terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out."

On October 25, 1945, the Chinese government announced that it was resuming the exercise of sovereignty over Taiwan. From that point forward, China had recovered Taiwan de jure and de facto through a host of documents with international legal effect, Zhu said.

She added that the Taiwan question arose out of China's past weakness and turmoil but will ultimately be resolved as China realizes national rejuvenation.

Responding to a similar query at a press briefing on Saturday, Zhu said at such a crucial moment, Lai and his ilk, on one hand, deliberately avoided discussing the historical fact of Taiwan's return to China; on the other hand, deliberately distorted the history of the Chinese civil war and incited cross-Straits confrontation, which once again fully exposed their nature of seeking "independence."

The history of Taiwan's return to China cannot be forgotten and the historical trend of the inevitable reunification of the two sides cannot be stopped, Zhu said.

She called on Taiwan compatriots to go with the tide of history, oppose "Taiwan independence" secession and foreign interference and join hands with the mainland to safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits and pursue peaceful reunification.

(With input from Xinhua)