October 25 is a day worth commemorating for the Chinese people forever. Today of 59 years ago is the day when the Chinese people across the Taiwan Straits took back Taiwan and the Penghu islands from the Japanese imperialists through a lot of bloodshed during the war against the Japanese imperialists. The Taiwan compatriots who had been oppressed for half a century returned to the motherland, finishing their humiliated history at last.

More than 100 years ago, the weak Chinese nation suffered the aggression of foreign countries. Facing imperialist powers, the corrupt and inefficient government of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) was forced to sign a series of unequal treaties under duress, which humiliates the nation and forfeits its sovereignty. A large part of Chinese territory was dismembered by foreign powers. In 1894, Japan launched a war of aggression against China. In the following year, the imperial government of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) was forced to sign the humiliating Treaty of Shimonoseki, ceding the island and the Penghu islands to Japan. From then on, under the colonial rule of Japan the Taiwan compatriots were caught between two fires. And the Japanese colonialists looted the resources from Taiwan.

From the day when Taiwan and the Penghu islands were ceded, the Taiwan compatriots with the tradition of glorious patriotism had never ceased struggle against Japan in order to be rid off the enslavement and oppression. With blood and life, they composed the brilliant chapters of resisting against aggression. At the same time, all Chinese in the mainland and overseas waged one after another struggle to repossess the lost land and take back Taiwan. On October 25, 1945 the anti-fascist alliance including China won the final victory. Japan announced to surrender unconditionally. In accordance with the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, the then Chinese government in Taipei held a ceremony of accepting a surrender of Japanese army to Taiwan and proclaimed solemnly, "From today on, Taiwan and the Penghu islands have officially returned to the motherland.

There is no way to tamper with history and it is not allowed to cover up truth. The return history of Taiwan is a blood one that tells the Taiwan people resisted foreign aggression and tried for returning to the motherland. It is also the history of Chinese people in their struggle for national independence and liberation. Taiwan has been reunited into China's territory in accordance with the international laws and with the facts that the Chinese government has engaged in effective management. There is no room for the theory of Taiwan status in the air''.

After 1949, although there is a state of estrangement between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits, the lawful status that Taiwan is part of China has remained unchanged. China's sovereignty over Taiwan has never been changed. The compatriots across the straits have never given up the efforts to seek national unity. Since 1979 the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government have adhered to the basic principle of "peaceful unification and one country two systems'', have in mind the basic and real interests of Taiwan compatriots, fully respect their way of life and desire to be their own masters and made a series of reasonable policies.

In 1995, Comrade Jiang Zemin put forward the eight-point proposal for the process of the national unification according to the present situation across the straits, promoting the development of the relations between the two sides of the straits. For many years, the broad compatriots of Taiwan have also made their contributions to the enhancement of the exchanges across the straits and to promoting the procession of national unification. The economic relations between the two sides of the straits are getting closer with progress made in the exchanges of all fields, which is favorable to the increasing factor for the unification of the motherland.

But, the splittists of "Taiwan independence'' do not desire to see the development of the relations between the two sides. In 1999, Lee Teng-hui overtly put forward so-called "two nations'' theory, which severely poisoned the atmosphere of the relations between the two sides, halting the negotiations between the two sides of the straits. When Chen Shui-bian took office he made a promise stating a policy known as "four no's''. What he did later proves that he told lies. He has never ceased the splitting activities of "Taiwan independence''. He tries to get all splitting forces to engage in "Taiwan independence'' activities. He overtly put forward "one side one country'' theory. He splits Taiwan society by force. He enkindles the hatred against the mainland. He does his utmost to defy the status quo that the mainland and Taiwan belong to China. As a result, the relations across the straits have been pushed to the verge of danger.

For the Chinese people, there is nothing more important and sacred than safeguarding their national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The mainland has always tried its best to strive for the peaceful unification of the motherland with great sincerity. However, the Chinese people will never tolerate "Taiwan independence'' and never tolerate any attempt of the Taiwan authorities led by Chen to split Taiwan from China again. If Taiwan authorities dare create "Taiwan independence'' incident the Chinese people will resolutely and thoroughly smash the splitting scheme of "Taiwan independence'' at any cost.

When marking the 59th anniversary of the island province's return to China, we will tell Chen Shui-bian authorities: recognize that the mainland and Taiwan belong to China, give up the claim of "Taiwan independence'' and stop the activities of "Taiwan independence''. That will be the only way out. If the authorities go on with their "Taiwan independence'', they will not only bring disaster to the broad Taiwan compatriots, but also will become sinners of the China nation themselves forever.

By People's Daily Online