BEIJING, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- September 3 marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression during World War II, a glorious moment to be shared by all Chinese, including people in Taiwan.

Eighty years ago, after 14 years of unyielding struggle, the Chinese people defeated Japanese invaders. For the first time in modern history, the Chinese nation achieved a complete victory in the struggle for national liberation.

The victory thoroughly crushed Japan's militaristic schemes to colonize and enslave China and played a decisive role in bringing about the complete defeat of the Japanese aggressors, making a major contribution to the World Anti-Fascist War.

This victory was achieved not only by the military but also by civilians from all walks of life across the country. They fought fearlessly on the frontal battlefields and behind enemy lines, regardless of their political affiliations and the regions from which they came.

People in Taiwan, though under the Japanese colonial rule, were not absent from this great war either.

After the defeat in the first Sino-Japanese War initiated by Japan, the Qing Government was forced to cede Taiwan and the Penghu Islands to Japan in 1895. Since then, generations of patriots on the island had been engaged in resistance movements against colonial rule, in armed or nonviolent ways, with more than 650,000 sacrificing their lives.

After Japan launched a full-scale invasion of China in 1937, many crossed the Taiwan Strait to join their mainland counterparts in resisting the invaders. Between 1937 and 1945, more than 50,000 Taiwan compatriots fought on the mainland, offering their blood and lives to uphold the dignity of being Chinese.

The victory the nation won ended Japan's colonial rule in Taiwan and restored the island to the motherland.

On Oct. 25, 1945, the Chinese government announced that it was resuming the exercise of sovereignty over Taiwan, and the ceremony to accept Japan's surrender in the Taiwan Province of the China war theater of the Allied powers was held in Taipei. Taiwan's restoration to the motherland was widely celebrated across the island, and the day became a public holiday in 1946.

This memory, forged in blood and fire, confirms that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and testifies to the enduring bonds and shared destiny across the Strait.

However, in today's Taiwan, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities and some secessionist forces choose to ignore the victory and its fruits, daring to try to whitewash Japanese colonial rule, glossing over Taiwan people's resistance against Japanese oppression, downplaying and even denying the historical facts of Taiwan's restoration to China.

The DPP authorities removed Taiwan's restoration day from the list of public holidays in 2001. Since the DPP took office again in 2016, the authorities have stopped organizing commemorative activities, resulting in the gradual fading of public memory, especially among younger generations in Taiwan.

History tells the story of the past, but also illuminates the future.

The 1945 victory demonstrated that despite the extreme adversity, the brutality of the war, and the immense sacrifice, the Chinese people's resolve to restore their national sovereignty and territorial integrity remained unshaken.

The Taiwan question arose when China was weak and in turmoil, and it will be resolved when the country is strong and rejuvenated.

Today, China has never been closer to, more confident in, and more capable of achieving the goals of national rejuvenation and complete national reunification. The Chinese, including people in Taiwan, should stand together and strive for this great cause.

It is the best tribute to all those who sacrificed their lives for the victory 80 years ago. ■