89th anniversary of Marco Polo Bridge Incident: Hung Hsiu-chu says opposing militarism can prevent tragedy

Former Kuomintang (KMT) chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu commemorated the 89th anniversary of the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, emphasizing the importance of remembering history not to foster animosity, but to safeguard peace. She urged the public to honor the fallen heroes and cherish the present, stating that only through respecting history, upholding justice, and opposing militarism can future tragedies be averted and an era of peace be sustained.

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Remembering history is not for creating confrontation, but for safeguarding peace. Honoring the martyrs is not just to reminisce about the past, but to remind future generations to cherish today. Only by respecting history, upholding justice, and opposing militarism can we truly prevent the tragedy from repeating and continue the generation of peace.

Hung attended the "Commemoration of the 77 Anti-Japanese War and the 70th Anniversary of the Eastern Cross-Island Highway Groundbreaking" event. There, she paid her deepest respects to the anti-Japanese war heroes who sacrificed for the nation and to the post-war military personnel and veterans who contributed to Taiwan's development. She noted that the Marco Polo Bridge Incident marked the beginning of the full-scale Chinese People's War of Resistance, which lasted eight years and culminated in victory.

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This history is not meant to perpetuate hatred, but to remind us that peace is hard-won, and history must not be forgotten.

Expressing regret, Hung criticized current Japanese politicians, including former Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, for their insufficient remorse regarding Japan's history of aggression. She specifically cited the historical crimes of Unit 731's human experimentation, biological warfare, and poison gas attacks, along with the massacres of countless Chinese soldiers and civilians, stating that victims have yet to receive a proper accounting. Hung asserted that while confronting the remnants of militaristic thinking, it is crucial not to abandon the truth or allow history to be glorified.

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It is regrettable that to this day, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and other politicians lack sincere reflection on the history of aggression, and have yet to provide a proper account to the victims for historical crimes such as Unit 731's human experimentation, biological warfare, poison gas warfare, and the massacre of countless Chinese soldiers and civilians.