Honoring history and consolidating consensus

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, voted on Friday to designate Oct 25 as a new statutory national commemoration day.

The decision to establish the Commemoration Day of Taiwan's Restoration is of profound historical, political and emotional significance. It reaffirms the irrefutable fact that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China: an undeniable truth enshrined in history, international law and the collective memory of the Chinese nation.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of Japanese colonial rule of the island and its restoration to China, following Japan's surrender at the end of World War II.

That is why the Chinese mainland held a series of commemorative events on Tuesday to mark the occasion, reaffirming the nation's shared historical memory and honoring those who gave their lives for the country. The commemoration was not only a tribute to history but also a reaffirmation of China's commitment to peaceful reunification and national rejuvenation.

That Taiwan's return to China was a direct outcome of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War is clearly recorded in legally binding international documents, including the Cairo Declaration (1943), the Potsdam Proclamation (1945), and Japan's Instrument of Surrender (1945). Moreover, the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, adopted in 1971, makes it clear that there is but one China in the world and the Government of the People's Republic of China is the only legitimate representative of the whole of China, including the Taiwan region. Together, these documents constitute irrefutable evidence that Taiwan's status as part of China has long been settled.

It is therefore revealing that the secessionist-minded Lai Ching-te authorities in Taiwan banned local officials from attending the mainland's commemorative events this week. A move that not only exposed the insecurity of the Lai administration but also laid bare its political agenda of seeking "Taiwan independence" by seeking to undermine the national identity shared by compatriots on both sides of the Strait.

Against this backdrop, the NPC Standing Committee's decision to formally establish the Commemoration Day of Taiwan's Restoration is of far-reaching importance. As a statutory commemoration, it provides a national platform to honor history, strengthen collective memory and consolidate consensus for national reunification, serving as a constant reminder to younger generations that Taiwan has always been and always will be part of China.

It is telling that this decision came one day after the conclusion of the fourth plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee, which stressed promoting the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Strait and advancing the cause of national reunification. The establishment of the commemoration day is thus not only a historical tribute but also a forward-looking step in implementing that objective.

The cause of national reunification is both just and unstoppable. It is an internal affair that brooks no external interference. Any attempt to challenge the one-China principle or support "Taiwan independence" runs counter to the trend of history and the will of 1.4 billion Chinese people.

By designating Oct 25 as the Commemoration Day of Taiwan's Restoration, China is not only honoring its past but also charting a course toward a future in which the historical truth of one China is upheld and national identity is reaffirmed. The secessionists' cause is doomed to fail as the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation moves ever closer to fulfillment.