China uses new commemoration day to send message on Taiwan
Beijing marks Taiwan’s handover in 1945 with a campaign highlighting China’s claim to the island.
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China on Sunday marked the new commemoration day for the ‘return of Taiwan’ on a national scale for the first time. Beijing is using the commemoration to emphasise its claim that Taiwan is part of China.
The date 25 October refers to Japan’s surrender in Taiwan in 1945. China established the commemoration day by law last year. According to the Chinese government, the day should highlight the historical ties between the mainland and Taiwan and support the pursuit of national reunification.
Chinese state media and military channels ran a coordinated campaign on Sunday. According to the South China Morning Post, state broadcaster CCTV distributed footage of locations in Taiwan labelled ‘Taiwan, Province of China’. The campaign coincided with speeches and commemorative activities in China.
The wording is politically charged. Beijing presents the events of 1945 as evidence that Taiwan belongs to China and links the commemoration day to the so-called one-China policy. Taiwan has been governed by the Republic of China since 1949, with its own elections, government, military and legal system.
The Taiwanese government does not recognise the People’s Republic of China’s claim. Taiwan uses the name ‘Taiwan Retrocession Day’ for the same historical date, but the political significance differs. For Taipei, the commemoration does not amount to consent to China’s claim to sovereignty.
The official explanation makes clear that Beijing is linking the historical commemoration to its current claim on Taiwan. What effect the message will have on relations across the Taiwan Strait is unclear.
The development is relevant to the Netherlands and Europe because tensions around Taiwan could affect trade, semiconductors and shipping. The commemoration day itself is not a military step. The campaign does, however, form part of a broader political strategy in which China presents the Taiwan issue as a core interest and a matter of national sovereignty.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- China has designated 25 October by law as a commemoration day for Taiwan’s handover in 1945.
- Taiwan has been governed by its own government since 1949 and has its own elections, military and legal system.
- Beijing uses the commemoration day to emphasise its claim on Taiwan and the one-China policy.
Left
Arguments The commemoration should be seen as part of political pressure on Taiwan and an attempt to normalise a one-sided historical interpretation internationally. Taiwan must retain space for self-government and democratic decision-making.
Values Self-determination, democracy and the protection of smaller political communities.
Consequences European countries should be cautious about giving symbolic support to Chinese formulations while keeping communication channels open.
Centre
Arguments Historical remembrance and current sovereignty claims should be kept separate. Europe has an interest in stability, compliance with international law and avoiding steps that trigger escalation.
Values Institutional stability, diplomacy and predictability.
Consequences A practical approach combines economic relations with China with support for peace, the status quo and peaceful dispute resolution.
Right
Arguments China’s campaign shows that strategic power and national interests are leading factors in international politics. European countries should reduce their economic dependencies and strengthen their defensive resilience.
Values National security, sovereignty and strategic autonomy.
Consequences Greater diversification of supply chains and defence cooperation could increase costs, but would reduce vulnerability in a crisis around Taiwan.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The historical date, the establishment of the commemoration day by law and the official Chinese justification have been confirmed by primary Chinese sources. The current campaign is based on an open report by SCMP and is attributed to Chinese state communications.
- confirmed China marked the new commemoration day for Taiwan on 25 October 2026. — The day was established by law in 2025 and the current campaign was reported on 25 October 2026. source
- confirmed The date refers to Japan’s handover of Taiwan in 1945. — Mentioned in the Chinese legal explanation. source
- confirmed China presents the commemoration day as support for its claim on Taiwan. — The official Chinese explanation links the day to sovereignty and national reunification. source
Editor's note
The date, its establishment by law and the official Chinese explanation are verifiable. The description of the campaign on 25 October comes from SCMP; Taiwanese responses have not been independently confirmed in the sources consulted and have therefore been worded cautiously.Sources
- Beijing commemorates end of Japanese rule over Taiwan with call for reunification — South China Morning Post
- China’s National Postal Administration announces Taiwan Restoration Day commemorative stamp — National Post Bureau of China
- China ratifies Commemoration Day of Taiwan’s Restoration — State Council of the People’s Republic of China
More on this in Dutch media
- NRC — „china taiwan”
- NU.nl — „china taiwan”
- De Telegraaf — „china taiwan”