China Designates Oct.25 Taiwan Restoration Day

China’s National People’s Congress designated Oct. 25 as the “Commemoration Day of Taiwan’s Restoration,” marking the 80th anniversary of the end of Japanese rule. Beijing held official events in which senior officials, including top adviser Wang Huning, framed the date as proof of China’s sovereignty over Taiwan and stressed the one‑China principle. Mainland speakers also called for deeper cross‑Strait integration and warned there is no room for “Taiwan independence” separatism, while participants described the move as restoring historical memory and part of a legal‑historical claim. Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council sharply rejected the designation as a fabricated PRC claim, saying Taiwan Retrocession Day commemorates the ROC’s 1945 acceptance of Japan’s surrender and that the CCP/PRC were not the relevant authorities in 1945. Observers say the designation asserts Beijing’s sovereignty claims and heightens cross‑Strait tensions, even as everyday reminders of 1945 — such as Guangfu street names — persist and Taipei emphasizes maintaining the status quo and seeking equal dialogue.