President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday urged Beijing to give decent treatment to veterans of the War of Resistance Against Japan who have lived in China since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949.
In a speech before touring an exhibition at the Armed Forces Museum in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of Japan’s surrender at the end of World War II, Ma referenced a Republic of China (ROC) soldier loyal to the Nationalists who fought in the war, but was mistreated by Beijing in the 1960s because of his participation in the Chinese Civil War.
Chao Chen-ying (趙振英) fought against the Communists in the civil war between 1945 and 1949, but he remained in China and took an entrance exam to university after the end of the war, Ma said, which was why he did not come to Taiwan with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) forces in 1949, Ma said.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
In 1969, Chao was arrested and put behind bars to serve a 20-year prison term for his actions against Communist forces, Ma said.
He was released in the 1980s and has since suffered mental illness, Ma said, adding that he was saddened by Chao’s story.
These soldiers made great efforts in the war against Japan and contributed to the ROC’s victory, but they received poor treatment because they also fought against the Communist forces during the civil war, Ma said.
“We have to speak up for them,” he said. “We call on China to give decent treatment to the veterans who fought in the War of Resistance Against Japan so that they can be honored and safe in their later years.”
In related news, an exhibition featuring more than 100 photographs taken during the War of Resistance Against Japan was opened yesterday in Tainan as part of a series of events being held to mark the 70th anniversary of Japan’s surrender.
Organized by the Ministry of Culture, the exhibition displays photos taken by the Central News Agency (CNA) during the war. CNA curated the event.
Most of the photos depict the lives of civilians during the war and how they helped in the fight against Japan.
For example, one of the photos shows children at an orphanage in Wuhan, in Hubei Province, selling newspapers and donating the money to support the ROC war effort. Another photo shows women sewing clothes for soldiers on the frontlines.
The exhibition covers seven topics, including children, education, women and literature, CNA president Fan Hsiang-lin (樊祥麟) said, adding that many CNA reporters risked their lives during the war to take the photos.
A series of oil paintings that depict the struggle of Taiwanese against Japanese colonization between 1895 and 1945 are also on display.
The exhibition runs through Sept. 21 at the National Tainan Living Art Center.
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