Letter: Taiwan belongs to its people

In regard to changing or not changing history (Letters, March 23, 27 and 31, page 8), one historical fact that can never be denied is that China contributed nothing to the "restoration of Taiwan to the embrace of the motherland" during World War II.

In fact, China itself, specifically the Republic of China (ROC), was invaded by Japan in Manchuria, Guangdong and Hainan Island.

Not a single Chinese bomber, soldier or bullet ever appeared in Taiwan to fight Japanese soldiers.

Many Chinese soldiers did appear in Taiwan after the 228 Incident in 1947, killing innocent Taiwanese on the streets. In 1948 and 1949, hundreds of thousands of Chinese soldiers fled to Taiwan, carrying pots and pans and wearing straw or cloth shoes. They looked more like defeaters [sic] than liberators.

The People's Republic of China (PRC) did not come into existence until 1949, four years after the war was over.

In 1951, when the San Francisco Peace Treaty was signed between 47 countries and Japan, neither the ROC nor the PRC was invited, even though China was one of the Allied Powers during the war.

In this treaty, Japan simply renounced all claims to Taiwan, without specifying the beneficiary. The Treaty of Taipei formalized the peace between Japan and the ROC in 1952, but the ROC did not inherit the sovereignty of Taiwan.

The US single-handedly liberated Taiwan from Japan and as a result has the sole right to claim Taiwan as its territory, although the US historically has never done so (as in the cases of Japan, Germany, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Iraq, and so on).

Taiwan should belong to the people of Taiwan.

Charles Hong
Columbus, Ohio