Taiwan tells its people to shun Chinese anniversary events for revolutionary hero
TAIPEI: Taiwan’s government has told its people to shun events in China next month for the anniversary of the birth of a man officially lauded by both Taipei and Beijing for bringing an end to the last imperial dynasty, exposing another historical fault line.
Taiwan's government has advised its citizens to avoid attending events in China next month commemorating the 160th birthday of Sun Yat-sen, a figure officially revered by both Taiwan and China for ending the last imperial dynasty. China plans to hold commemorations on November 12th for Sun Yat-sen's birthday, a date he died in 1925 but also marks the beginning of his role in the 1911 revolution that toppled imperial rule.
Sun also founded the Republic of China, which fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong's communists. Beijing maintains it will never renounce the use of force to reunify Taiwan under its control. Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council warned people not to attend anniversary events in China and to "echo the Chinese communists' narratives."
China's interpretation of Sun Yat-sen does not align with historical facts, the council said, using such commemorations to promote unification and oppose Taiwan's independence. The Chinese government has not disclosed the specific events planned for the anniversary. Beijing's stance is that Sun was a great national hero and the precursor to China's 1949 revolution.
China has not disclosed the details of its planned events. In 2016, President Xi Jinping stated that Sun opposed attempts to split the country, emphasizing the need for complete reunification of the motherland as a sacred duty for all Chinese. In Taiwan, Sun is officially recognized as the "Father of the Nation," with his portrait displayed in the presidential office.
However, his political philosophy is no longer required in schools. Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te and his Democratic Progressive Party have been more vocal about maintaining Taiwan's separate identity from China. Taiwan has been particularly upset with Beijing's attempts to claim credit for World War Two victory, asserting it was the Republic of China that fought alongside the allies, as the People's Republic of China did not exist at that time.
China labels Lai as a "separatist" and has refused to engage with him. Lai maintains that only Taiwan's people can decide their future.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- Taiwan tells its people to shun Chinese anniversary events for revolutionary hero freemalaysiatoday.com
