China has accused Taiwan of "desecrating the martyrs" in response to Taipei’s criticism of Beijing’s portrayal of World War II history. The Chinese government condemned what it described as an attempt by Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to distort the narrative surrounding the conflict, which resulted in millions of Chinese deaths during the Japanese invasion.

At a regular news briefing in Beijing, Zhang Han, spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said Taiwan’s criticism amounted to “a betrayal of history” and an insult to those who fought in the war. She emphasized the importance China places on the legacy of the conflict and called for a joint commemoration by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

China’s official account credits the communist guerrilla forces as the principal fighters against Japan during the war, with limited focus on the nationalist Republican forces led by the Kuomintang (KMT). Zhang noted that while the KMT, now Taiwan’s main opposition party, fought Japanese forces on the frontlines, communist forces operated behind enemy lines. She affirmed that the victory in the resistance war was a collective achievement of the entire nation, integral to the global antifascist struggle.

Taiwan, which was a Japanese colony from 1895 until 1945, was transferred to the administration of the Republic of China (ROC) after the war. The ROC government relocated to Taiwan in 1949 following defeat in the Chinese civil war and maintained martial law until 1987. Taiwan’s current government under the DPP maintains a distinct identity separate from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and rejects Beijing’s claim over the island.

Taipei disputes Beijing’s interpretation, contending that the ROC—the government that fought alongside the Allies during World War II—should be recognized as the legitimate representative of China during that period, rather than the PRC, which was established later. This historical disagreement underscores broader political tensions between the two sides.

Relations between Beijing and Taiwan have remained strained amid disputes over sovereignty. China refuses to engage in dialogue with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, whom it brands a “separatist.” Meanwhile, both Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump recently referenced the wartime alliance between their countries, highlighting the enduring significance Beijing attaches to the period.