Editor's note: Han Bing, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is an associate research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Taiwan Studies. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

August 15 this year marks both the 80th anniversary of Japan's unconditional surrender and the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. On such a solemn day of remembrance, the leader of China's Taiwan region, Lai Ching-te, chose to brazenly turn his back on the nation's history, embarking on a misguided path that demeans the dignity of the Chinese nation. In a lengthy post on social media under the guise of "commemoration," he deliberately avoided any reference to the historical facts of "Japan's surrender" and "China's victory in the war of resistance." Instead, he invoked the so-called "end-of-WWII narrative" originating from Japan's imperial rescript on surrender to whitewash the aggressors, while fabricating a false storyline of "democracy versus authoritarianism" to peddle separatist fallacies in favor of "Taiwan independence." His political ambition to "seek independence by relying on external forces" and to "resist reunification in pursuit of independence" has been laid bare for all to see.

Fawning on Japan in pursuit of "seeking independence by relying on external forces"

Eighty years ago, all the sons and daughters of China, including compatriots in Taiwan, fought under the belief that "every inch of land must be defended with blood." Bearing immense suffering and making tremendous sacrifices over fourteen long years, they finally defeated Japanese militarism, defending national sovereignty and dignity with their lives and blood, and writing a glorious chapter in the great victory of the war of resistance against Japanese aggression. This is a history that should be remembered and honored by people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits. Yet Lai Ching-te has deliberately chosen to evade and obscure it.

In his social media post, Lai claimed to be "reflecting on this painful history." But not a single word did he devote to the suffering and sacrifice of compatriots across the Straits, nor to the brutality and savagery of Japan's war of aggression against China. Instead, he resorted to the "end-of-WWII narrative" that seeks to summon the specter of Japanese militarism, deliberately replacing "anniversary of victory of the war against Japanese aggression" with the so-called "anniversary of the end of WWII." By intentionally avoiding mention of "Japan's surrender" and "China's victory," he openly attempted to whitewash the aggressors of their war crimes.

Lai's choice to "defy universal condemnation" and to beautify aggressors at the cost of abandoning national dignity stems, at its core, from his desire to gain the backing of right-wing forces in Japan for his "Taiwan independence" agenda. From the high-profile fanfare surrounding the "Taiwan's representative to Japan" being invited to attend the Hiroshima and Nagasaki peace memorial ceremonies, to Lai's calculated use of the term "end of WWII" to twist historical truth, every move has been a carefully staged political performance by the Democratic Progressive Party authorities, designed to court external forces and stoke confrontation with the mainland.

Peddling the fallacy of "democracy versus authoritarianism" to disguise separatist ambitions of "resisting reunification in pursuit of independence"

Eighty years ago, the forces of justice across the world defeated fascism, securing victory in the Second World War and safeguarding global peace. China, as the mainstay in the struggle against Japanese militarism, made a decisive contribution to the world’s victory over fascism. The recovery of Taiwan and its return to the embrace of the motherland were both integral parts of the fruits of that victory and the post-war international order.

Yet Lai Ching-te, who openly calls himself a "pragmatic worker for Taiwan independence," clearly refuses to accept this fact. He seeks instead to cloak the Taiwan question in the language of "democracy," blurring its historical context and legal foundation. In his social media post, Lai deliberately avoided any mention of the history of the war of resistance against Japanese aggression, and made no reference whatsoever to the historical fact of Taiwan's recovery. Instead, he devoted lengthy passages to touting Taiwan's so-called "democratic achievements," maliciously framing cross-Straits relations as an ideological confrontation. He hyped up "authoritarian expansion threatening freedom and democracy," in an attempt to mischaracterize "separatism versus anti-separatism" or "secession versus anti-secession" as a contest of "democracy versus authoritarianism."

In reality, this year marks not only the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, but also the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's recovery. China’s victory safeguarded national sovereignty and territorial integrity and made an immense contribution to world peace. It's an achievement long recognized by the international community. But out of his political ambition to pursue "Taiwan independence," Lai deliberately downplayed the significance of Taiwan's recovery and the broader achievements of the victory in World War II. Instead, he went to great lengths to fabricate the false narrative of "democracy versus authoritarianism." At its core, this rhetoric is nothing more than a fig leaf for Lai's agenda of "resisting reunification in pursuit of independence." By playing the so-called "democracy card," he seeks to mislead the people on the island, inflame populist sentiment under the banner of "resisting China and protecting Taiwan," and accumulate political capital for the next round of separatist provocations.

Justice will be served

On the very day marking the 80th anniversary of Japan's unconditional surrender, Lai Ching-te chose to issue a public statement spreading a distorted view of World War II and fabricating the false narrative of “democracy versus authoritarianism”. In doing so, he fully exposed his true nature as a "pro-independence" separatist. Such an act of betraying the nation's history not only hurts the shared feelings of compatriots across the Straits but also undermines the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation. It is a grave criminal act to attempt to split the country.

"Taiwan independence" is a dead end. External forces cannot be relied upon, and the trend toward reunification cannot be stopped. No matter what separatist moves "Taiwan independence" forces take, and no matter what reckless interference outside powers attempt, none can alter the fact that Taiwan is part of China, nor can they obstruct the historical trend that China will and must be reunified. Lai's attempts to distort the history of World War II, to challenge the post-war international order, and to advance a separatist agenda cannot withstand the weight of the Chinese nation's history and culture, nor can they overcome the resolve and will of the more than 1.4 billion Chinese people. They will inevitably be condemned by all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation and brought to account by the judgment of history and justice.

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