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
EVA Airways was ranked the eighth-best airline in the world for this year, the only Taiwanese carrier to make it into the top 25 Airline Excellence Awards this year, aviation reviews Web site AirlineRatings.com said on Wednesday. AirlineRatings.com has a seven-star rating system to evaluate more than 360 airlines around the world every year, EVA Airways said in a statement on Thursday. “We are delighted that efforts by the entire EVA staff have been recognized by Airline Ratings,” EVA Airways president Clay Sun (孫嘉明) said in the release. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company identified and adopted services and procedures that enhance and
A promotional event for the launch of a drinks store led to police questioning a 26-year-old woman surnamed Chang (張), the Taichung Police Department said yesterday. Police said that they questioned Chang and forwarded the case to prosecutors, accusing her of producing, distributing, broadcasting or selling pornography. Police said she faces charges related to the alleged distribution of indecent photographs on Twitter and using overtly sexual innuendos to promote the store on Monday night. Officers stumbled upon the content during a routine Internet “patrol.” Chang faces a prison sentence of up to two years and up to a NT$90,000 fine if found guilty
Exiled Chinese democracy advocate Wang Dan (王丹) yesterday denied an accusation by former Taiwanese political worker Lee Yuan-chun (李援軍) that Wang had sexually harassed him in a hotel room in New York nine years ago. There was a huge gap between Lee’s accusation and his own understanding and memory, Wang wrote on Facebook, adding it was hard for him to respond further regarding a “unilateral description” made by someone else. Wang made the remarks after his initial response on Facebook was met with criticism, with people saying he did not directly address the allegation. Lee on Friday wrote on Facebook that he
MORE WARNINGS: If the US company does not clarify and solve issues with its frozen berries, the FDA might extend an import suspension implemented last month, it said The Kaohsiung Department of Health yesterday said it fined Costco NT$4.5 million (US$146,265) over contaminated frozen strawberries, while the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that although the US company had filed an improvement plan, an import suspension on frozen berries could remain. Three types of frozen berry products imported and sold by Costco have tested positive for the hepatitis A virus since April. The Kaohsiung health department previously fined Costco NT$300,000 for not providing the sales list of a contaminated batch of Kirkland Signature Three Berry Blend imported from Chile, in contravention of the Communicable Disease Control Act (傳染病防治法). It later
RSS