Young people trace roots by sharing stories

BEIJING, Oct. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- This is a report from China Daily:

Young people from Taiwan called for a correct understanding of history and a stronger sense of national identity as they reflected on the shared roots of people living across the Taiwan Strait while commemorating Taiwan's restoration to China.

At a commemorative event held at the Taiwan Guild Hall in Beijing on Oct 21 to mark the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's restoration to China, four youth representatives from Taiwan shared their reflections on this historical period.

The event was jointly organized by the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots, China Daily's national news channel, the Beijing Taiwan Compatriots Association, and the association for relatives of patriots in Taiwan who fought against Japanese occupation.

Lo Chih-ying, 23, from Changhua county in Taiwan, said: "Commemorating Taiwan's recovery is not only about marking the historic restoration, but also about reaffirming the Chinese nation's roots." Lo recounted her family history, which goes back over 300 years and helped her trace her roots to Fujian province on the mainland. "Our ancestors crossed the Strait and settled in Taiwan, where their descendants have since taken root and flourished," she said.

Taiwan was ceded to Japan under the Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895, following the First Sino-Japanese War. The island remained under Japanese occupation until 1945.

On Oct 25, 1945, the ceremony to accept Japan's surrender in the Taiwan Province of the China war theater of the Allied powers was held in Taipei. From that moment, Taiwan and the Penghu Islands were restored to China's sovereign jurisdiction.

This historical period was reviewed by Lu Ying-chu, 21, from Taipei, who is now a student at Minzu University of China in Beijing. "This treaty forcibly tore Taiwan away from its motherland, bringing shame to the nation and heartbreak to its people," Lu said.

She shared that her great-grandfather, who lived through much of the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, remained steadfast and never yielded to the Japanese authority. "Studying this history has made me realize the mission our generation carries — promoting peace and unity," Lu said, emphasizing that the shared national memory and its lessons should never be forgotten.

Lin Ching-mao, 26, from Changhua, who is currently studying at Peking University, said: "The commemoration of Taiwan's restoration also honors the unyielding resistance of the Taiwan people against Japanese occupation."

"If those soldiers who bled and sacrificed (their lives) during the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) saw their descendants denying that the Taiwan people are Chinese, what would they think?" Lin said, criticizing recent moves by "Taiwan independence" separatists to erase Chinese elements in Taiwan. He described the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's restoration to the motherland as an opportunity to promote a correct understanding of Taiwan's history and its contemporary significance.

Lin Kuan-ting, from Taipei, noted that during the war of resistance, patriotic compatriots from Taiwan believed that "to save Taiwan, one must first save the motherland".

"Today's young people from Taiwan also share the belief that 'once the motherland becomes strong, the Taiwan question will naturally be resolved'," he said, adding that Taiwan's patriotic compatriots see hope in the increasing strength of the motherland.

Li Zhenguang, dean of the Institute of Taiwan Studies at Beijing Union University, emphasized the importance of remembering this part of history.

"Mainland youth have not forgotten, and neither have the young people from Taiwan represented by these four," Li said. "Young people who remember history are the hope of the Chinese nation."

On Oct 24, the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress, China's top legislature, officially designated Oct 25 as the Commemoration Day of Taiwan's Restoration. Compatriots from both sides of the Strait, as well as overseas Chinese communities, held a variety of events around the world to mark the occasion.

Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said the establishment of the commemoration day demonstrates the unwavering commitment of all Chinese people to uphold the one-China principle and safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The decision also reflects the Communist Party of China's steadfast resolve to fulfill its mission and achieve complete reunification of the motherland, Wang said.

SOURCE China Daily