Taiwan leader's pro-Japanese-aggressor remarks draw widespread criticism amid war commemorations

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 China's Taiwan region for distorting history and betraying the Chinese nation.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's return to China. Compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits have held commemorative events. However, the DPP authorities have refrained from hosting official celebrations of the victory – a victory which Lai has repeatedly referred to as the "end of war," echoing the perspective of Japanese aggressors, rather than recognizing China's triumph.

Taiwan media editorials have condemned the remarks. The United Daily News described Lai's use of "end of war" as aligning with Japanese militarism, calling it "absurd." A China Times editorial said that Lai's preference for the term reflects an attempt to legitimize Japan's colonial rule over Taiwan, driven by lingering post-colonial sentiment.

Critics have also targeted recent statements in which Lai attributed Taiwan's current peace and stability to the "foresight of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe," and in which DPP Secretary-General Hsu Kuo-yung claimed that "there was no Taiwan Restoration Day" and "the Taiwanese were Japanese at the time." Commentators have said that such remarks distort Taiwan's historical and political reality, and are an international laughingstock. The results of a recent YouTube poll by Taiwan's Chinatimes.com show 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 said, noting that Lai's so-called defensive resilience, which he has touted with pride, remains focused not on disaster prevention but solely on "anti-China" sentiment.

Recent surveys also indicate rising public dissatisfaction. The results of United Daily News' annual cross-Straits relations poll show that 63 percent of respondents disapprove of Lai's handling of cross-Straits affairs – a 20-percentage-point increase from last year.

Chen Fu-yu, chairman of the ChinaTide Association, recently said that in pursuit of "relying on foreign forces to seek independence," the DPP authorities have repeatedly distorted history and glorified Japanese colonial rule, attempting to erase the shared contributions of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits in resisting Japanese aggression. Chen emphasized that residents living in Taiwan today will never allow any force to separate Taiwan from China.

(Cover: The Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, China's Taiwan region. /VCG)