In response to a media inquiry over US officials and analysts saying that Chinese companies have built up a network of ports around the world to exercise control over global commerce, conduct espionage, and enable far-seas missions for the Chinese military, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian on Wednesday stated that these accusations are just aimed at creating anxiety.
Lin added that we hope the US will stop overstretching the concept of security, stop peddling so-called "China threat," and stop smearing and disrupting China's economic and trade cooperation with other countries.
Six university students accidentally died on Wednesday during an educational visit at a mining company in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Xinhua News Agency reported, citing the emergency management authority in Hulun Buir City.
According to Xinhua, the six students, who were from Northeastern University in the city of Shenyang in Northeast China's Liaoning Province, were learning about the flotation process at a plant of Wunugetushan copper-molybdenum deposit, which belongs to China Gold Inner Mongolia Mining Co.,Ltd, when they fell into a flotation tank at around 10:20 am on Wednesday due to the falling off of a grate.
After all efforts to rescue them, the students were retrieved but were confirmed drowned by medical personnel. Additionally, one teacher was injured.
Currently, the local government, Northeastern University, and China National Gold Group Corporation are carrying out follow-up handling of the incident.
The recent outbreak of conflict along the Cambodia-Thailand border, resulting in casualties, is deeply distressing and concerning. The root of this issue lies in the legacy left by Western colonial powers, and it now requires calm and careful handling, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi while meeting with Secretary-General of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Kao Kim Hourn in Beijing on Friday.
China appreciates and supports the active mediation efforts by the ASEAN chair, and encourages dialogue and political resolution through the "ASEAN way," said Wang.
Wang said that as a mutual neighbor and friend to both Cambodia and Thailand, China is committed to maintaining an objective and impartial stance, and stands ready to play a constructive role in helping de-escalate tensions and stabilizing the situation, according to a release from China's Foreign Ministry.
Kao Kim Hourn said that on the Cambodia-Thailand border conflict, we believe the leaders of the countries involved have the political wisdom to resolve the issue. The "ASEAN way" remains a viable approach, and the ASEAN chair is actively mediating in the spirit of the ASEAN Charter, according to the release.
We also appreciate China's constructive efforts in promoting dialogue and de-escalation, said Kao.
Clashes along the Thailand-Cambodia border reportedly continued on Friday, causing casualties on both sides and sparking worries, with regional countries and the international community calling for a ceasefire and de-escalation, according to multiple media outlets.
Thailand's military-run Channel 5 reported on Friday that clashes broke out at several areas along the Thailand-Cambodia border in the early hours of the day, saying Cambodian forces have conducted sustained bombardment utilizing heavy weapons, field artillery, and BM-21 rocket systems, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
Thai forces responded with appropriate supporting fire in accordance with the tactical situation and issued advisories to local civilians to avoid entering areas where clashes have taken place. Early Friday, the sound of artillery fire was heard again near the border area, the National Broadcasting Services of Thailand reported, citing a local official in Surin province.
According to the deputy spokesperson of the Thai Ministry of Public Health, 14 Thai people were killed and 46 others injured in military clashes near the Thailand-Cambodia border as of 9:00 pm local time on Thursday, Xinhua reported.
The deputy governor of Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province, Met Meas Pheakdey, told Xinhua over the telephone that one villager was killed and five others were wounded on Thursday when the Thai side fired artillery shells into Cambodian territory.
"More than 2,900 families living near the border have been evacuated to a safe refuge," he added. "Fighting is still going on as of Friday morning," he said, according to the report.
Cambodian Defense Ministry's Undersecretary of State and spokesperson, Lieutenant General Maly Socheata, said in a press briefing on Friday morning that Thai troops had used heavy weapons and F-16 fighter jets as well as cluster bombs to attack several locations in the Cambodian provinces of Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear, according to the report.
The Royal Thai Army has firmly denied allegations from Cambodian media claiming that Thailand used F-16 fighter jets to strike civilian targets during the ongoing border conflict, while accusing Cambodia of using civilians as human shields by placing artillery in civilian areas, according to Nation Thailand.
The situation on the Thai-Cambodian border escalated following skirmishes on Thursday. The two sides traded accusations following the escalating situation.
Immediate de-escalation appears unlikely, as the core issue lies not in the clashes themselves but in deep political mistrust between the two countries' leaders. This distrust has spilled into domestic politics, with both sides constrained by internal pressures and left with little room for compromise, raising the risk of further escalation, Xu Liping, Director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Friday.
But a full-scale war between Thailand and Cambodia also seems unlikely. Despite ongoing tensions, the military imbalance, international mediation by ASEAN, China, and the UN, and strong global opposition to escalation serve as restraining factors, said Song Zhongping, a Chinese military affairs expert.
More importantly, the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand is rooted in complex colonial-era issues that cannot be resolved through a full-fledged war, said Song, noting that the conflict is more likely to be prolonged and sporadic, with occasional skirmishes but overall situation under control.
Call for de-escalation
China's permanent representative to the United Nations, Fu Cong, called for the situation between Cambodia and Thailand to cool down on Thursday. China has expressed concern over the situation between the two countries, urging both sides to exercise restraint, and hopes that the situation can stabilize and peace can be achieved, Fu said.
Fu said Cambodia and Thailand are not only good neighbors of China, but also friendly neighbors to each other, and at the same time, important members of ASEAN. He added that ASEAN has always adhered to the tradition of resolving differences through peaceful means, and China hopes that peace will prevail.
China is playing a mediating role in facilitating communication between the two sides and hopes that the situation can stabilize as soon as possible, Fu said.
The UN Security Council will hold a closed-door meeting on the Thailand-Cambodia border clashes on Friday, which was reportedly requested by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, per Xinhua.
On late Thursday, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said in a post on X that he has spoken to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thailand's Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai. He appealed, in Malaysia's capacity as the current ASEAN chair, to both leaders for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further hostilities and to create space for peaceful dialogue and diplomatic resolution.
"I welcome the positive signals and willingness shown by both Bangkok and Phnom Penh to consider this path forward. Malaysia stands ready to assist and facilitate this process in the spirit of ASEAN unity and shared responsibility. I firmly believe that ASEAN's strength lies in its solidarity and that peace must always be our collective and unwavering choice," he said.
Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn on Friday morning convened diplomats and military attachés from multiple countries, including the US and China, to brief them on developments regarding the Cambodia-Thailand border situation and to reaffirm Cambodia's firm stance on peacefully resolving border disputes, CCTV News reported on Friday.
The US, China and Malaysia, which is the current chair of the ASEAN regional bloc, have offered to facilitate dialogue but Bangkok is seeking a bilateral solution to the conflict, Thai foreign ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura told Reuters.
There are obstacles to the mediation efforts. Both Cambodia and Thailand hold conflicting maps and refuse to accept the other's version, Ge Hongliang, deputy director of the College of ASEAN Studies at Guangxi University for Nationalities, told the Global Times.
Though ties have been downgraded, diplomatic channels remain open. ASEAN has launched shuttle diplomacy to push for a ceasefire and renewed talks, and China maintains a neutral stance, urging both sides to return to dialogue and supporting ASEAN-led mediation, said Ge.
As Thailand and Cambodia are both ASEAN members, a war between them would destabilize Southeast Asia and undermine regional economic integration. Easing tensions and returning to dialogue serves the fundamental interests of both countries and the region, said Song.
Many of today's conflicts can be traced back to unresolved border and ethnic issues left by colonial powers. This remains a persistent threat to global peace, underscoring the need to continue advancing global decolonization, said the expert.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a $565-million credit line and launched free trade talks with the Maldives on Friday during a visit to the Indian Ocean archipelago. However, Modi's visit to the Maldives was interpreted by some Indian media outlets as a demonstration of India's success in eclipsing China's influence in the Maldives.
Chinese experts criticized such rhetoric, describing it as a reflection of the Indian media's "outdated" mind-set, which is rooted in a purely adversarial, zero-sum game mentality.
Modi's two-day trip has been aimed at boosting India's development partnership with the Maldives, and he said the credit line was central to that goal, per Reuters.
Modi is the first foreign leader to visit Muizzu since he took office in 2023, pledging at the time to end the Maldives' "India first" policy, and taking steps to strengthen ties with China, according to Reuters.
Some Indian media outlets portrayed Modi's visit as a victory against Chinese influence. An article titled "Muizzu's U-turn: India in, China out? Maldives seemingly pivots again as PM Modi offers big incentives," published on the Times of India, highlighted that Muizzu now calls India a "trusted friend" and rolled out the red carpet for PM Modi, breaking with protocol to personally receive him at the airport.
The Hindustan Times reported that months after spearheading the "India Out" campaign, Muizzu has "stunned Beijing with a dramatic policy shift calling India the "first responder" and "most trusted partner."
Some Indian media outlets often view the Maldives' relations with China and India through a geopolitical adversarial lens; however, the Maldives is a sovereign nation that naturally prioritizes its relationship with neighboring India while actively pursuing a diversified foreign policy which includes strengthening its ties with China and aligning with the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times. He further noted that this serves the interests of the Maldives and that these two approaches are not mutually exclusive.
"This mind-set in Indian media reflects an outdated geopolitical adversarial perspective, trapped in a zero-sum game mentality," said Qian.
During his visit to China in January, Muizzu said the Maldives is willing to always be China's closest partner, continuously consolidate their traditional friendship, strengthen cooperation in various fields, and push for greater development of bilateral relations, according to Xinhua News Agency.
The Maldives appreciates China's leadership in safeguarding world peace and stability and is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China in international and regional affairs to jointly safeguard international fairness and justice, Muizzu said.
China's economy posted a solid 5.3 percent growth in the first half of 2025, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Tuesday, demonstrating the strong resilience of the world's second-largest economy despite a complex global environment.
In the second quarter alone, the economy expanded by 5.2 percent compared with the same period last year, easing slightly from the 5.4 percent growth recorded in the first quarter.
China's economy withstood pressure and made steady improvement despite challenges. The production and demand grew steadily, employment was generally stable, household income continued to increase, new growth drivers witnessed robust development and high-quality development made new strides, helping ensure overall social stability, according the NBS.
Generally speaking, with the more proactive and effective macro policies taking effects in the first half of the year, the national economy maintained steady growth with good momentum, showcasing strong resilience and vitality, said Sheng Laiyun, deputy head of the NBS at a press conference on Tuesday.
The steady 5.3 percent growth achieved in the first half of 2025 keeps China well on course to meet its full-year target of about 5 percent growth, an analyst said. This performance also serves as a direct rebuttal to pessimistic narratives by some foreign media outlets, reaffirming the strength and resilience of the Chinese economy.
With GDP growth projected to outpace most major economies in 2025, China is set to reinforce its position as both a driver of global growth and a source of stability amid international uncertainties, the analyst said.
Growth highlights
Retail sales of consumer goods grew 5 percent year-on-year to 24.54 trillion yuan in the first half of the year, while the value added of industrial enterprises above the designated size was up 6.4 percent, and fixed-asset investment climbed by 2.8 percent, according to the data released by the NBS.
In the first half of the year, the urban surveyed unemployment rate averaged 5.2 percent, 0.1 percentage points lower than that of the first quarter, according to the NBS.
Manufacturing continued to serve as a key driver of economic growth, supported in part by steady external demand. The momentum from new quality productive forces became increasingly evident, observers noted.
Tuesday's major economic indicators also align with the resilient performance of China's foreign trade.
In the first six months, China's total merchandise trade rose 2.9 percent year-on-year to $3.04 trillion, driven by the country's strenuous efforts to optimize its foreign trade structure and stabilize economic growth, according to data from China's General Administration of Customs on Monday.
This shows that the impact of short-term factors such as the US tariffs is fading, and with the dual support of the Chinese government's effective policies and China's strong industrial fundamentals, foreign trade has shown a positive trend of recovery, an expert said.
Hu Qimu, deputy secretary-general of the Forum 50 for Digital-Real Economies Integration, called the second-quarter results "hard-won," noting that they reflect the inherent resilience of China's economy and the ongoing appeal of its massive market, despite rising global volatility and increasingly protectionist stances, highlighted by the US tariffs.
The first-half GDP growth reflects the strong resilience of China's economy, underpinned by its comprehensive industrial system and vast market capacity — both of which provide a solid foundation for withstanding external shocks, Hu said.
However, challenges persist, mainly driven by global headwinds such as US tariffs, Hu said, adding that further policy measures are needed to keep growth on track to meet the full-year target.
Further efforts needed to endure momentum
China's steady growth comes at a time when concerns about a potential US tariff-driven slowdown loom in many parts of the world.
Responding to media questions about measures to mitigate the impact of the tariffs on the Chinese economy, Sheng said high tariffs have increased trade costs and are detrimental to economic and trade growth.
Since the beginning of this year, in response to changes and pressures in the external environment, the Chinese government has taken proactive and adaptive measures, placing greater emphasis on strengthening the domestic economic cycle, Sheng said.
On the further note, the NBS official said that efforts have been intensified to implement more proactive macro policies to expand domestic demand and boost consumption. "We will continue managing our own affairs well and use the stability and certainty of the Chinese economy to navigate external uncertainties," he said.
The second-quarter performance injected much-needed stability into the fragile global economy, reinforcing China's role as a key driver of the global recovery, experts said.
The global growth environment is under pressure, with obstacles to trade, disruptions to logistics, and rising raw material prices all posing challenges to China's economy. Yet despite these headwinds, China's export performance has remained in line with expectations, said Cao Heping, an economist at Peking University.
At the same time, booming sectors — particularly the application of digital and green technologies — have fueled significant breakthroughs across industries, with rapid progress in areas like new-energy vehicles, autonomous driving, and artificial intelligence, said Cao.
In particular, Chinese companies have quickly filled gaps in the semiconductor industry, despite trade blockages and sanctions, demonstrating the speed of the country's technological progress, the expert said.
"China's economic performance this year marks a noticeable recovery and upward momentum," Xi Junyang, a professor at the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, told the Global Times. He attributed the improvement largely to more robust macroeconomic policies, pointing to a series of monetary easing steps, including multiple reductions in reserve requirement ratios and interest rates. The expert also noted a marked increase in fiscal spending as a contributing factor.
In the second half of the year, the economy is projected to sustain its growth momentum, supported by further opening-up measures, robust trade and supply chains, and increased market diversification, keeping it on course to achieve the full-year economic growth target, experts said.
Looking at the second half of the year, Sheng also said that despite considerable external uncertainties and internal pressures from structural adjustments, we believe there is solid support for China's economy to maintain steady growth.
The public perceptions of China have improved over the past year based on a new survey released by Pew Research Center, while views of the US have declined, according to a Bloomberg report.
A median of 32 percent of respondents in high-income countries held a favorable opinion of China, according to a report by Pew Research Center released on July 15, the highest level in six years. In contrast, the figure for the US fell to 35 percent, the lowest since 2017, Bloomberg reported.
Although more of the people surveyed have a positive view of the US than of China, this gap is closing as views of the US have become more negative while views on China have turned more positive, according to the report.
The findings were based on surveys of more than 28,000 adults conducted from January to late April across 24 countries, according to the Pew Research Center.
Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times that over the past 40 years, China has not only achieved national prosperity but has also grown from a regional emerging country into a country with international influence. He said China's continuous enhancement of its international image and influence has become an inevitable trend.
In eight countries, people have a more positive view of the US than China, according to the Pew report. This is especially the case in Israel, where 83 percent view the US favorably, compared with 33 percent who take this stance on China. People in some countries that neighbor China, including South Korea, Japan and India, are much more likely to see the US than China favorably, said the Pew survey.
In seven other countries, people have a more positive opinion of China than the US. These include Spain, South Africa, Turkey, Greece, Kenya, Indonesia and Mexico. In Mexico, 56 percent of adults view China positively and 29 percent say the same of the US, according to the Pew report.
Meanwhile, in nine countries, including five in Europe, views of the US and China are similar, said the Pew survey.
According to Li, in this survey, the seven countries that have a more favorable view of China than the US are quite representative. Most of them are in key geopolitical positions or hold significant influence in their respective regions, which suggests that the improvement of China's image may have a "spillover effect," and in the future, the favorable view of China is expected to rise in more countries and regions.
In contrast, countries with a relatively high favorability toward the US often have particular conditions. For example, Israel is highly dependent on the US, while Japan, South Korea and India tend to rely on the US to counterbalance China, Li said. Whether this situation is stable remains to be seen. The uncertainty and impact of US foreign policy may become more pronounced in these countries by the end of the year, and public opinion trends could still change, Li noted.
According to the Pew survey, about a third of Canadians today have a favorable view of the US and China. But the share who view the US favorably has decreased by 20 percentage points from 2024, while the share who view China favorably has increased by 13 points.
"If we look just at the 10 high-income countries where we have surveyed annually for the past nine years, views of the US and China are now closer together than at any point since 2018," said the Pew survey.
In half of the countries they surveyed this year, more countries say China is the world's top economic power than say this of the US, according to the Pew survey.
Based on a "China-LAC mutual perception survey" released in early July, which was conducted by the Global Times Institute (GTI), in collaboration with the Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO) and the Center for Chinese and Latin American Studies, the vast majority of respondents in both China and Latin American and Caribbean countries recognize each other's economic development potential.
For China's development prospects, 50 percent of Latin American respondents think it has "a very good development prospect with rapid economic growth," and 34 percent believe it has "a good development prospect with stable economic growth," according to the survey.
An increasing number of people in various countries are realizing that while the US remains one of the world's leading powers, the negative effects it brings are intensifying, Li said. Whether in the security domain, where it promotes "camp-based" politics, or in the economic field, where it instigates trade wars and advocates economic nationalism, the US is causing greater uncertainty and security anxiety for countries around the world. At the same time, the frequent use of military intervention in international affairs by the US has further damaged its image, Li said.
In response to the claims made by US President Donald Trump saying that he thinks China will soon sentence people to death for fentanyl manufacturing and distribution, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday that China has repeatedly made it clear that fentanyl is the US's problem, not China's. It's the US's responsibility to solve the issue.
Trump spoke on Wednesday local time before signing the HALT Fentanyl Act, a law that increases prison terms for drug offenses involving fentanyl-related substances. "I think we're going to work it out so that China is going to end up going from that to giving the death penalty to the people that create this fentanyl and send it into our country," Trump said. "I believe that's going to happen soon," according to Reuters.
"I think China's been helping out," Trump told reporters on Wednesday.
Despite the goodwill China has shown, the US wrongly slapped "fentanyl" tariffs on Chinese imports. The move has dealt a heavy blow to China-US dialogue and cooperation on counternarcotics, and gravely hurt China's interests, Lin said. If the US truly wants cooperation with China, it needs to face the facts squarely, and seek dialogue with China based on equality, respect and mutual benefit, said the spokesperson.
China National Narcotics Control Commission did not respond to a request for comment as of press time.
Bloomberg on Wednesday citing people familiar with internal deliberations as saying that Trump has dialed down his confrontational tone with China in an effort to secure a trade deal with the world's second-largest economy.
Trump imposed 20 percent tariffs on Chinese imports over the issue in February, and they have remained in effect despite a trade agreement reached by both sides in Geneva in May.
The US unreasonably imposed two rounds of tariffs on China under the pretext of fentanyl, and China promptly took countermeasures to firmly safeguard its legitimate rights and interests. "These countermeasures remain effective," Lin Jian, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said in May 14.
Lin said China and the US had reached multiple positive consensuses during the economic and trade meeting in Geneva, agreeing to significantly reduce the level of bilateral tariffs.
"US President Trump's latest claims on fentanyl are primarily aimed at domestic audiences, intended to showcase his 'significant progress' in anti-drug work —a key concern in US society—and to solidify his political support at home," Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times.
Li also noted that US President's shift in tone may reflect a broader US effort to ease tensions with China.
When asked about the US twice imposing tariffs on China under the pretext of the so-called fentanyl issue this year, Wei Xiaojun, executive secretary-general of the China National Narcotics Control Commission, said in June that the so-called "fentanyl tariffs" imposed by the US on Chinese products exported to the US are typical bullying behavior that have severely damaged the trust and dialogue foundation between the two sides in the field of anti-drug cooperation.
Wei said that China is one of the countries with the strictest anti-drug policies and most thorough enforcement in the world. It has actively engaged in international anti-drug cooperation with countries around the world and, out of humanitarian goodwill, helped the US address the fentanyl crisis, with tangible results there for all to see.
Li told Global Times on Thursday that it remains unclear whether US administration's stance on China regarding the fentanyl issue has changed, given the US tendency to flip-flop on many matters. He urged the US to focus on addressing its own issues rather than shifting blame onto China.
In response to a media inquiry regarding the EU’s adoption of its 18th package of sanctions against Russia, under which two Chinese financial institutions were included, the spokesperson for Mission of China to the European Union said on Friday night local time that China has always opposed unilateral sanctions that lack a basis in international law and have not been authorized by the UN Security Council.
By listing two Chinese financial institutions in its 18th sanctions package, the EU has acted in a manner both egregious in nature and harmful in effect. China expresses strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition, and has already lodged stern representations with the EU. China will take firm measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests, said the spokesperson.
Regarding the Ukraine issue, China has consistently urged peace and dialogue, committed itself to promoting a political settlement of the crisis, never supplied lethal weapons to any party to the conflict, and strictly controls exports of dual-use items, said the spokesperson.
We urge the EU to stop smearing and shifting blame onto China, immediately correct its wrongful inclusion of two Chinese financial institutions, and take concrete steps to eliminate the harmful consequences of its actions, said the spokesperson.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-1945) and the World Anti-Fascist War. Winning the war is a great victory of the national spirit with patriotism at its core, a great victory achieved with the Communist Party of China (CPC) fighting as the central pillar, a great victory fought by the whole nation through solidarity and bravery, and a great victory for the Chinese people, anti-fascist allies, and people around the world who fought shoulder-to-shoulder.
To commemorate this historic milestone and its lasting impact, the Global Times has launched a themed series revisiting the great significance of the victory through three lenses: The "Guardians of Memory," the "Witnesses of Struggle," and the "Practitioners of Peace." It underscores the importance of "learning from history to build a brighter future together."
This is the fourth installment in the "Guardians of Memory" series, which highlights the patriotic efforts of the people on the island of Taiwan in their resistance against Japanese colonial aggression, as well as the collaboration between Taiwan and Chinese mainland patriots during World War II in fending off the Japanese invaders. Together, the people from both sides across the Straits have inscribed a magnificent chapter in the glorious history of the Chinese nation's unremitting self-improvement and united resistance against aggression. Under the soft glow of the lights, 85-year-old Chiu Shu-nu gazes intently at a piece of calligraphy displayed in a glass case. The calligrapher's author is her great-uncle, Qiu Fengjia, a renowned patriotic educator and a folk leader against Japanese invadors born and raised on the island of Taiwan.
In July 1894, Japan launched its invasion of China, known as the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895. In April 1895, Japan forced the defeated Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) government to cede part of its territory, including the island of Taiwan, making the island a Japanese colony until 1945, when Japan was defeated in World War II and Taiwan was restored to Chinese sovereignty after 50 years of occupation.
The resistance of the people on the island of Taiwan against the Japanese colonizers was an important part of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. On Monday, civil groups in Taiwan island gathered outside the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) headquarters in Taipei to mark the 88th anniversary of the July 7 Incident - the beginning of China's whole-nation resistance against the Japanese invaders - calling on the DPP to respect historical facts.
During the five decades of Japanese rule, inspired by patriotism and national spirit, people on the island of Taiwan bravely defended their homeland, playing a significant role in China's anti-fascist war history. Among them, many dedicated Taiwan residents, including Qiu Fengjia, emerged as leaders in the fight against Japanese aggression. Some also supported the fight against Japanese invaders on the Chinese mainland, contributing to the united efforts of both sides of the Straits in defending their homeland.
The stories of these patriots are on display at an ongoing exhibition in Shanghai, which showcases historical materials about the 50-year anti-Japanese resistance of the people on the island of Taiwan. On June 30, the opening day of the exhibition, Chiu Shu-nu carefully looked at the familiar names on the display panels, her eyes shining with emotion.
"I will never forget their stories, nor can we forget this history," Chiu Shu-nu told the Global Times. A patriotic family of heroes
Growing up in a patriotic family of heroes fighting against Japanese colonists on the island of Taiwan, Chiu Shu-nu, from a young age, listened to her mother recount stories of her ancestors' and forebears' resistance against the Japanese invaders.
Her great-uncle Qiu Fengjia, a Qing Dynasty official, organized a militia to lead the people on the island of Taiwan in their fight against the Japanese, after the Qing Dynasty government was defeated in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895. In 1931, Japan launched the September 18 Incident, beginning the bloody invasion of China and igniting the first flames of fascist aggression in the Eastern field during World War II. Qiu Fengjia's son, Qiu Niantai, Chiu Shu-nu's uncle, actively organized the Taiwan residents in Guangdong to resist the Japanese invaders, becoming an important anti-Japanese armed civilian force in the region.
For Chiu Shu-nu, although she was only five years old when World War II ended in 1945, the stories of her ancestors' fierce struggles against the Japanese invaders were deeply etched in her heart.
"At home, my father did not allow us to speak Japanese," Chiu Shu-nu recalled. Her father was once imprisoned during the Japanese occupation of the island of Taiwan for secretly teaching Chinese. At that time, Japan's harsh colonial rule forced local people to speak Japanese, but her father remained adamant about forbidding his children from speaking the language at home.
"He instead taught us to read ancient Chinese poems, and guided us through our Chinese textbooks," Chiu Shu-nu told the Global Times. "A textbook said, 'I am Chinese, you are Chinese, we are all Chinese.'"
In 2006, Chiu Shu-nu and some descendants of anti-Japanese heroes on the island of Taiwan together established the Association of Families of Taiwan Anti-Japanese Imperialism (AFTAI). Twenty years on, the association has made numerous trips between the Chinese mainland and the island of Taiwan, sharing the heroic experiences of their ancestors in various commemorative events.
From June 28 to June 30, some 20 members of the association traveled to Shanghai, to participate in a series of themed activities held by the Shanghai Taiwan Compatriots Friendship Association (STCFA) to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's recovery from Japanese occupation, which included an exhibition on Taiwan's 50 years of fighting against Japanese colonial invasion at the Shanghai History Museum.
On June 30, Chiu Shu-nu, now the honorary chairperson of the AFTAI, walked slowly through the museum's exhibition hall, her gaze filled with nostalgia and admiration as she looked at the names of her family members.
"I'm a witness and a guardian of this history," she said. Shared endeavor between two sides
During China's fights against fascism, people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits supported each other, leaving behind many precious shared memories.
"When the flames of national resistance ignited, countless patriots on the island of Taiwan went to the Chinese mainland. They held high the belief that to save the island of Taiwan, they must first strengthen the motherland, and threw themselves into the torrent of the national resistance against Japanese invaders," Lu Li'an, president of the STCFA, said in a speech at the exhibition's opening ceremony on June 30.
At a seminar themed around the shared memories of cross-Straits resistance against Japanese invaders held by the STCFA on June 29, Shaw Kai-ping, shared stories of some patriots on the island of Taiwan who risked capture and even death at the hands of Japanese colonizers to join the fight on the Chinese mainland.
Shaw's parents were both heroes who had participated in the resistance against Japan on the Chinese mainland. After graduating from a medical program at a university in Taipei, Shaw's father left the island of Taiwan for Guangdong Province due to his dissatisfaction with Japanese colonial rule, and later joined a local anti-Japanese militia with his wife. The couple provided medical assistance in Guangdong.
Shaw's parents were among many Taiwan residents at that time who, driven by patriotism and courage, voluntarily went to the Chinese mainland to participate in the anti-fascist war. "Their participation was evident on almost every battlefield, from North China to Hainan island; they were never absent," Shaw said.
"Under Japanese colonial rule, the hearts of all people on the island of Taiwan were directed toward the motherland," he told the Global Times.
The people from the Chinese mainland had also been continuously supporting the anti-Japanese efforts of the island of Taiwan, since the island was ceded to Japanese colonizers in 1895.
At the exhibition, Lo Chiu-chau saw a portrait of her grandfather. Her grandfather Luo Fuxing was Indonesian Chinese from Guangdong Province, and led and organized many movements against Japanese colonists on the island of Taiwan alongside Chinese mainland patriots, serving as both a participant and witness to the joint resistance across the Straits.
There were many interconnected anti-Japanese activities between the two sides of the Straits in those years, Lo said, emphasizing the importance of not forgetting this history of united resistance.
"The people on both sides of the Straits are one family," she told the Global Times. "Now, some people create conflicts between the two sides for their own interests, which is truly regrettable."
'Should not be forgotten'
On August 15, 1945, Japan announced its unconditional surrender, marking the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. From October 25 of that year onward, the island of Taiwan and the Penghu Islands officially returned to the territory of China, and all lands and peoples have been under the sovereignty of the Chinese government. The island of Taiwan thus ended its 50-year-long dark period of Japanese occupation and returned to the embrace of the motherland.
Chen Wanzhong is the son of Chen Yiding, one of the Chinese military leaders participating in the recovery of the island of Taiwan from Japanese occupation. At the June 29 seminar, Chen Wanzhong shared his father's memories of the recovery: Many Taiwan residents had tears of excitement on their faces, continuously speaking to his military officers in the local dialect and Japanese. A native of East China's Jiangsu Province, Chen Yiding did not understand what they were saying at the beginning, but a translator informed him that the residents were saying how they had been waiting by the railway for two or three days, eager to witness the arrival of the Chinese army.
"My father once told me that, participating in Taiwan's recovery was the proudest moment of his life," Chen Wanzhong told the Global Times after the seminar. "My father said that, despite enduring half a century of Japanese colonial rule, the patriotic spirit of the Taiwan compatriots remained unwavering."
The recovery of the island of Taiwan from Japanese occupation was a great victory achieved through immense sacrifices by all Chinese people, including the Taiwan residents, and it was a significant outcome of the global anti-fascist war, said STCFA president Lu.
"In recent years, the 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces and external interference have colluded to sever history and erase memories," Lu said. "However, facts cannot be distorted, and the trend of events cannot be halted. We firmly believe that the historical trend of China's eventual and inevitable reunification cannot be obstructed by anyone or any force," she emphasized.
Today, many members of the AFTAI are in their 70s and 80s, yet they remain dedicated to sharing their ancestors' stories of resistance against Japanese invaders across the Straits, passing down the history of the joint fight against aggression.
"Now that the country has grown stronger and life has improved, the younger generation may gradually forget the humiliating history of the past. But this history should not be forgotten." Lin Ming-tsung, chairperson of the AFTAI, told the Global Times. "By sharing our families' heroic experiences during the war against Japanese aggression, we hope for our small efforts to inspire more people's patriotism and national spirit."
