International Business Times
Date: September 17 2015
By: Mark Hanrahan
China’s top official on Taiwan affairs Wednesday warned against support for Taiwanese
China’s President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with Lien Chan, former chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT), during their meeting in Beijing September 1, 2015. Reuters
independence, as the island prepares for a crucial presidential election in January.
“The ‘Taiwan independence’ secessionist forces seek to negate the Chinese nation’s achievements in the war against Japan and erase Taiwan compatriots’ contributions to the fight against Japan’s colonial rule and victory against Japan’s attacks,” said Ma Xiaoguang with the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office at a press conference, according to Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua.
“Curbing the spread of historical views that uphold ‘Taiwan independence’ and contain secessionist schemes are historical obligations that all responsible political parties and politicians should undertake,” he added.
Ma’s comments referred to controversy over the respective contributions of China’s nationalist and communist forces to the fight against Japan during World War II. The issue was the cause of some debate in recent weeks, as China marked the 70th anniversary of the defeat of Japan during the war with a huge military parade.
Some veterans and commentators expressed frustration with China’s governing Communist Party claiming credit for the defeat of Japan, when many historians say the nationalists, who went on to become Taiwan’s principal governing party, played a far more significant role. [FULL STORY]
