China yesterday described 228 Incident protests as a ploy by Taiwanese independence forces to hijack commemorations of the 70th anniversary of the massacre.
The 228 Incident has become a rallying point for the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which favors formal independence for the nation.
Then-president Chiang Kai-shek’s (蔣介石) Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) troops put down rioting sparked on Feb. 27, 1947, by a dispute between tobacco mnonpoly agents and an illegal cigarette vendor in Taipei.
Photo: CNA
The number “228” refers to the day the slaughter began in earnest.
It led to nationwide protests against the KMT, which two years later took refuge in Taiwan after losing the Chinese Civil War against the Chinese Communist Party and imposed martial law until 1987.
An Fengshan (安峰山), spokesman for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said the 228 Incident was a “just action” by Taiwanese against a dictatorship and to fight for their basic rights.
“It is part of the Chinese people’s liberation struggle,” An told a regular news briefing in Beijing. “For a long time, this incident has been used by certain Taiwanese independence forces for ulterior motives.”
“They have distorted historical fact, instigated contradictions based on provincial origin, tearing at Taiwan’s ethnic groups, creating antagonism in society,” An said. “I think the motives behind this are really despicable.”
An made the remarks after his announcement earlier this month that Chinese government departments are to hold events to commemorate the 228 Incident’s 70th anniversary this year.
An said that to his knowledge, such events would include a forum to be organized by China’s Taiwan Democratic Self-government League today.
Feb. 28 is a national holiday in Taiwan, marked by solemn ceremonies for those killed in the 228 Incident and affirmations from politicians for the nation’s vibrant democracy.
China is deeply suspicious of President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who was elected last year, suspecting that she and her party want to push for formal independence.
Tsai says she wants to maintain peaceful relations with China.
An yesterday also defended the deportation of Taiwanese involved in overseas telecom fraud cases to China as having won widespread international approval after Taiwan protested against Spain’s recent decision to deport about 200.
Asked about the Spanish case, An said the decision was taken in part because both the victims and evidence relating to the fraud were in China.
“This course of action has received widespread approval from people from both sides of the Taiwan Strait and the international community,” he said.
The Spanish case is the latest involving Taiwanese abroad suspected of telecom fraud against China being rounded up with Chinese nationals and sent to China, angering Taipei.
The Spanish government on Friday last week said it had approved the extradition of 269 “Chinese citizens” as part of a year-long investigation into an Internet fraud ring operated from several Spanish cities, including Madrid and Barcelona.
Additional reporting by CNA
REASONS FOR TRAVEL: An assistant professor said that proposed amendments to penalize drivers if they used drugs overseas would not deter people from traveling People who operate a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana would have their driver’s license revoked, even if they used the substance while overseas, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday, citing proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例). The amendments would also authorize the government to revoke the licenses of people determined to have used Category 1 or Category 2 narcotics, even if they were not operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, as well as ban them from taking the license test for three years, the ministry said. People aged 18 or
UPGRADE: The Kang Ding-class frigate is replacing its Chaparall missiles with Tien Chien II and Hua Yang VLS, which would provide it with long-range, 360° air defense Taiwan plans to produce 1,200 to 1,376 Hai Chien II missiles (海劍二, Sea Sword II) — also known as TC-2N — to serve as the standard air defense system of the navy’s surface combatant fleet, a source said yesterday. Last week, the Hai Chien II, the naval version of the Tien Kung II missile (天劍二, Sky Sword II), completed a live-fire test in waters off the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology’s Jiupeng facility (九鵬) in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州). The MIM72 Chaparral and other dated air defense missiles that currently arm Taiwanese ships have inadequate range to combat Chinese
GLOBALGIVING: ‘ Caving to external pressure is not acceptable for an organization that has cultivated justice reform and human rights for 30 years,’ one NGO said A slew of non-government organizations (NGOs) have withdrawn from the GlobalGiving fundraising platform after it announced it would use “Chinese Taipei” instead of “Taiwan” from next month. The Taiwan Good Rice Association wrote on Facebook on Friday that it was informed on April 28 via a teleconference call of the change, which was made because the platform wanted to operate in China. Taiwan Good Rice is to terminate all cooperative relationships with GlobalGiving in response to the platform’s “unilateral and non-negotiable” decision to remove references to Taiwan, the NGO said. “Taiwan is in the official name of Taiwan Good Rice Association and the
HEAVY WEATHER: Typhoon Jangmi is due to crash straight into the Ryukyus as airlines look to shift flights to larger aircraft or cancel flights to Okinawa entirely Taiwan’s international air carriers announced flight adjustments over the weekend as Typhoon Jangmi is forecast to hit the Ryukyu Islands today and tomorrow. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded Jangmi from a tropical storm to a typhoon at 8am yesterday, with the eye located 580km south of Naha city. It was moving north at 19kph. Today, China Airlines’ CI-120, CI-121, CI-122 and CI-123 flights between Taoyuan and Naha, Okinawa, have been canceled as well as CI-132 and CI-133 between Kaohsiung and Naha. EVA Air’s BR-112, BR-113, BR-186 and BR-185 flights between Taoyuan and Naha are also canceled. Low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan canceled IT-230,
RSS