Premier Mao Chi-kuo today expressed hope that the ROC's authority on the interpretation of the history of the War of Resistance Against Japan and the retrocession of Taiwan will be established by the commemorative activities the ROC holds this year.
These events should not only help the public commemorate the spirit of sacrifice and dedication of the national soldiers, but also highlight the closely intertwined relationship between the war and Taiwan's retrocession, Mao said. Moreover, they should help make the international community acknowledge the historical facts of the ROC's leading role in the war of resistance and its contributions to the Allied victory over Japan in World War II.
The premier made these remarks after a briefing at today's Cabinet meeting by the Ministry of National Defense (MND) on its preparations to mark the 70th anniversary of the ROC's victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan—also known as the Second Sino-Japanese War—and Taiwan's retrocession.
The victory in the war against Japan was a major accomplishment of the ROC, whether militarily, politically or diplomatically, the premier pointed out. Sustained through the struggle and hardship of the citizens and armed forces, it not only emancipated the nation from a hundred years of unequal treaties but also restored Taiwan, which later became the bastion for the ROC's democracy and prosperity.
The government is organizing a series of 16 commemorative events, with the first commencing July 7 and the last concluding October 25. These include international academic seminars and symposiums, exhibitions and musical performances. Documentaries have been produced and will be screened. Fourteen volumes on the history of the war will be published, and commemorative stamps and coins sets will be distributed.
The international academic seminar, titled "War in History and Memory: An International Conference on the Seventieth Anniversary of China's Victory in the War of Resistance against Japan," will be held at the Grand Hotel Taipei July 7-9. It will be co-organized by the Academia Historica, Academia Sinica's Institute of Modern History, and National Palace Museum. Some 150 academics and experts in related fields have been invited to participate; the Academia Historica has also invited 50 local and overseas scholars to produce dissertations in the field. The seminar's theme will be the eight-year war of resistance and the final victory over Japan, and its objective is to spotlight accurate history and the ROC's authority on the interpretation of that part of history.
"Historical mistakes can be forgiven, but historical facts must not be forgotten," the MND stated. The commemorative events are not meant to extol war, but rather to condemn war, it added. While censuring war, the ministry hopes to highlight the ROC's long-term contributions to the international community and its pursuit of peace and regional stability.