Following the passage by the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress on the 24th, which established the 'Taiwan Retrocession Memorial Day,' a rally marking the 80th anniversary of Taiwan’s retrocession was held on the morning of the 25th. Mainland official media People’s Daily published an article titled 'Resolutely Safeguarding the Victory of Taiwan’s Retrocession and Return to the Motherland,' stating that the legal establishment of the Taiwan Retrocession Memorial Day serves as a reaffirmation of this important historical fact, is a strong measure to protect the victory of Taiwan’s retrocession and return to the motherland, and asserted that 'attempts to undermine national sovereignty and territorial integrity and seek Taiwan independence and separatism lead only to a dead end, and will inevitably be judged by history.'
The article wrote that 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of Taiwan’s retrocession. On October 24, the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress adopted a resolution legally establishing October 25th as Taiwan Retrocession Memorial Day in the name of the state, 'fully reflecting the common aspirations and voices of compatriots on both sides of the strait.'
The article stated, 'Taiwan’s retrocession is a great day that will forever be recorded in the annals of the nation; it was a glorious victory day achieved by all Chinese people, including the people of Taiwan, through bloody struggle and resistance against Japanese colonialism and aggression. It is worthy of joint commemoration by compatriots across the strait. Establishing the Taiwan Retrocession Memorial Day by law is a reaffirmation of this important historical fact, a powerful measure to safeguard the victory of Taiwan’s retrocession and return to the motherland, and provides a solid institutional guarantee for the continuous holding of related commemorative activities.'
The article emphasized that history must not be forgotten and historical events need to be revisited. On December 1, 1943, the Chinese, American, and British governments jointly issued the Cairo Declaration, announcing that the aim of the three countries was to restore to China all territories stolen by Japan, such as Northeast China, Taiwan, and the Penghu Islands. On July 26, 1945, the three countries signed the Potsdam Proclamation (later joined by the Soviet Union), which reaffirmed that 'the terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out.' In September of the same year, Japan signed the Instrument of Surrender, promising to 'faithfully fulfill the obligations set out in the Potsdam Proclamation.'
On October 25 of the same year, the Chinese government declared that, from that day on, it would recover Taiwan and the Penghu Islands, 'resuming the exercise of sovereignty over Taiwan.'
The article described, 'In the face of ironclad facts, lies appear particularly feeble. In recent years, Lai Ching-te and the DPP authorities have continuously provoked separatist activities in pursuit of independence, hyped up the fallacy of Taiwan independence, deliberately downplayed or denied the historical fact of Taiwan’s retrocession, and even attempted to gloss over or beautify Japanese colonial rule, substituting resistance against aggression with mere ending of hostilities, with the intention of severing the historical ties and spiritual bond between both sides of the strait. Betraying national righteousness and forsaking national stance to forget one’s roots is doomed to fail; challenging national sovereignty and territorial integrity to pursue ‘Taiwan independence’ and division leads only to a dead end, and will surely be judged by history.'