Taiwan enhances defense sentiment against China through history

Taiwan is preparing to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two. Officials believe this is an opportunity to strengthen public support for defending the island against threats from China. They want to remind the world that the government in Beijing was not the victor of the war. The historical context is complex. The Chinese government at that time was the Republic of China, which fought against Japan. After losing a civil war to the Communists in 1949, the Republicans retreated to Taiwan. Today, Beijing downplays the role of these Republican forces in the war. Lou Woei-jye, who leads the cultural section of Taiwan's defense ministry, stated that this year's theme would focus on "resist invasion, protect the homeland." He emphasized that Taiwan is facing serious challenges and that the spirit of resistance from World War Two should be applied to current threats. China is also planning its own events to mark the anniversary, but specific details are not yet available. Lou highlighted that historical documents related to World War Two bear the name of the Republic of China, asserting that the People's Republic of China was not established until later. Taiwan's relationship with this history is complicated, as the island was once a Japanese colony and some Taiwanese fought for Japan during the war. Lou expressed hope that veterans in Taiwan, who defended the Republic of China, are recognized for their contributions.