This year marks the 73rd anniversary of the "February 28" uprising of the people of Taiwan. The "February 28" uprising is not only an important event in Taiwan's historical development, but also closely related to the establishment of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League.
On February 28, 1947, because the anti-smuggling police of the Taipei Tobacco Monopoly Bureau beat up female smokers, which aroused the indignation of the people, thus triggering a rebellion against the authoritarian rule of the Kuomintang authorities and demanding democratic autonomy, the history is called the "February 28" uprising or "February 28" incident, the essence of which is a patriotic democratic movement of the Taiwan people against the Kuomintang dictatorship. After the failure of the uprising, some people from Taiwan Province who participated in the uprising initiated the establishment of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League in Hong Kong in the same year. After its founding, the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League adhered to the leadership of the Communist Party of China, persisted in opposing the kuomintang's corrupt and authoritarian rule, and persisted in opposing any form of "Taiwan independence" plot. Commemorating the "February 28" uprising of the Taiwan people has become an important political activity of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League, and seeking the well-being of Taiwan compatriots and safeguarding the peaceful reunification of the motherland is the mission that generations of Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League members have carried on unceasingly.
Today, let us extract Yoshimitsu Katayu from the voluminous historical database to commemorate the 73rd anniversary of the "February 28" uprising of the Taiwan people, to remember the revolutionary martyrs who heroically sacrificed themselves in the "February 28" uprising, and to carry forward the glorious tradition of the Taiwan people's patriotism and love for the homeland.
The historical truth of "February 28"
In 1945, the Chinese nation won a great victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan, Japan announced its unconditional surrender, and Taiwan was able to return to the embrace of the motherland. The 6 million taiwanese who suffered from the bullying and ravages of the Japanese colonial rulers danced dragons and lions, rejoicing and rejoicing, full of pride in being upright Chinese, and looking forward to a happy and beautiful life. However, the Kuomintang authorities that took over Taiwan practiced authoritarian rule, embezzled corruption, and failed to govern well, which led to soaring prices on the island and the people's lack of livelihood, arousing strong dissatisfaction among the Taiwan people.
On February 28, 1947, the "February 28" Uprising broke out.
On February 28, 1947, the uprising swept across the island like a whirlwind that caught them off guard, from the Taipei strike and the burning of the Tobacco Monopoly Bureau to the Hsinchu people's uprising to liquidate corrupt officials and corrupt officials, and then escalated to armed struggle, the "27 Troops" led by Xie Xuehong (later the founder and first chairman of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League) in Taichung, Li Qiaosong, and the Jia Nan Column formed by Zhang Zhizhong, member of the Taiwan Work Committee of the Communist Party of China and minister of the Armed Forces, waged a tenacious struggle against the Kuomintang troops. Many witnesses and witnesses of the "February 28" of that year later joined the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League.
On March 20, 1947, Jiefang Daily published an editorial article in the form of an editorial on the CPC Central Committee's solidarity with the "February 28" uprising
The "February 28" uprising was not isolated, but part of the liberation struggle of the Chinese people. The will of the Taiwan people to oppose autocracy, strive for democracy, and seek autonomy reflected in it is consistent with the will of the entire Chinese people to oppose dictatorship, civil war, and hunger. Before the outbreak of the uprising, a wave of strikes and student movements arose one after another throughout the country, and after the uprising, it won the solidarity and support of the people of the whole country; the CPC Central Committee, through the Xinhua Radio station in Yan'an, issued a proclamation in solidarity with the Taiwan people's "February 28" uprising, stressing that "your struggle is our struggle" and that "the Chinese Communists warmly praise the heroic struggle of the Taiwan compatriots."
The Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League continues its glorious tradition
A large number of historical documents fully show that the main demands of the "February 28" are to oppose corruption, to demand provincial political reform, to realize political democracy and local autonomy in Taiwan Province, and to guarantee the people's living standards and basic rights.
"Memories of the "228" Uprising" by Yang Kehuang, a predecessor of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League, was published in 1955.
After the defeat of the armed struggle, Xie Xuehong and others established the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League in Hong Kong with the aim of realizing the democratic politics and local autonomy of Taiwan Province, supported the "Cairo Declaration" and the "Potsdam Proclamation," and opposed the so-called United Nations "trusteeship" or "referendum independence" of Taiwan, a Chinese territory. Since then, commemorating the "February 28" uprising has become an important political activity of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League.
More than 70 years of commemorative activities have left unforgettable memories.
-- In 1950, Commander-in-Chief Zhu De said at the commemoration meeting of the third anniversary of the "February 28th" held by the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League that the "day of the final liberation of the Taiwan compatriots is not far away!" More than 600 participants were enthusiastic and applauded. At the same time, the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League issued a "Message to Taiwan Compatriots" in Shanghai, calling for cooperation with the People's Liberation Army and jointly fulfilling the task of liberating Taiwan.
In February 1987, some members of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League who personally experienced the "February 28" uprising took a group photo at the headquarters of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League.
-- In 1987, some of the "February 28" witnesses gathered at the headquarters of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League and solemnly signed their names and took a group photo on a commemorative cover entitled "Commemorating the Fortieth Anniversary of the February 28" Uprising of the People of Taiwan Province, 1947-1987.
On February 23, 2017, a symposium to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the "February 28" uprising of the Taiwan people was held in Beijing.
——In 2017, a symposium to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the "February 28" uprising of the Taiwan people, which has attracted much attention from both sides of the strait, was held in Beijing. The Taiwan compatriots attending the meeting issued a call with deep affection that no matter how the cross-strait relations change, the compatriots on the mainland of the motherland will always hold hands and connect with the Taiwan compatriots.
The two sides of the strait work together to create the future
However, the "February 28" uprising, a patriotic democratic movement of Taiwan compatriots fighting for their legitimate rights, has been distorted by the "Taiwan independence" forces with ulterior motives for a long time, and even smeared as "the pioneer of Taiwan independence," causing great desecration of history and the victims. Only by returning to the historical reality, correctly understanding the true meaning of the Taiwan people's demand for democratic autonomy and understanding the patriotic feelings of that generation of Taiwanese can our narratives not deviate from the historical track.
Years of unremitting commemoration have accumulated a valuable spiritual wealth for us. The predecessors of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League who experienced the "February 28th" not only wrote a large number of reminiscence articles, but also told the past story through the media on many occasions, and used their own personal experiences and personal experiences to contribute a vivid basis for the compatriots on both sides of the strait to clearly understand the historical truth. In recent years, the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League has sorted out and published some of the achievements of excavating history, and books such as "A Collection of Historical Materials on the Mainland Taiwan Compatriots and the "February 28" Incident" have provided rare original historical materials for firmly opposing the "Taiwan independence" forces under the current complicated situation in the Taiwan Strait.
Members of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League who personally experienced the "February 28" uprising signed the commemorative envelope.
The wheel of history is rolling forward, and our footsteps in commemorating the "February 28th" will not stop, and our conviction in striving for cross-strait reunification will not waver. Su Hui, vice chairman of the CppcC National Committee and chairman of the Central Committee of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League, pointed out on the occasion of the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League that the best way to commemorate this is to inherit well the fine traditions of the predecessors of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League, to develop well the causes they have painstakingly pioneered, not to forget the original intention of cooperation, and to continue to advance hand in hand.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the 40th anniversary of the publication of the "Message to Taiwan Compatriots" that "the motherland must be reunified, and it will inevitably be reunified." This is a historical conclusion on the course of the development of cross-strait relations over the past 70 years, and it is also an inevitable requirement for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation in the new era. Let us join hands to shoulder the great national righteousness, conform to the general trend of history, resolutely oppose "Taiwan independence," promote the peaceful development of cross-strait relations, promote the process of peaceful reunification of the motherland, and jointly create a beautiful future for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation! (Source: Propaganda Department of the Central Committee of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League)
Editor-in-charge: Zhang Liyuan