World News | Xi’s WWII Remarks Draw Criticism over Taiwan, Japan's Historical Narrative

Washington DC [US], October 5 (ANI): Chinese President Xi Jinping’s references to the US-China alliance during World War II during his recent Washington visit have drawn criticism from analysts, who said the remarks presented a selective version of history and could serve Beijing’s broader narrative on Taiwan and Japan, The Epoch Times reported.

During a state dinner hosted by US President Donald Trump at the White House on September 24, Xi said that Chinese and American people had fought “shoulder to shoulder” against Japanese militarism during World War II. He also called for the two countries to use lessons from history to build a new chapter in their relations, according to The Epoch Times.

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Analysts cited by The Epoch Times pointed out that the Chinese forces that fought alongside the United States against Japan during World War II were primarily forces of the Republic of China (ROC), then led by Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek, rather than the Chinese Communist Party's later government.

The People's Republic of China (PRC) was established only in 1949, following the Chinese Civil War, while the ROC government relocated to Taiwan. The ROC has continued to use its official name on the island, The Epoch Times noted.

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Historical accounts cited in the report also indicate that Nationalist forces bore the main burden of fighting Japanese troops, while the Chinese Communist Party expanded its organisational and military strength during the wartime period, eventually defeating Chiang Kai-shek's forces in the civil war.

Shen Ming-shih, a research fellow at Taiwan’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research, told The Epoch Times that Xi’s remarks effectively obscured the historical role of the ROC.

Shen said Beijing was seeking to present the Chinese Communist Party as inheriting the legitimacy and historical position of the Republic of China while undermining the ROC’s status in Taiwan, The Epoch Times reported.

The comments come amid continuing tensions involving China, Taiwan and Japan, with analysts warning that historical narratives surrounding World War II remain an important part of Beijing’s political messaging in the region, according to The Epoch Times. (ANI)

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