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Taiwan Representative Protests 'Belittling' Seat at Nagasaki Bomb Ceremony, Cites Chinese Pressure

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Japan's Nagasaki City arranged Taiwan's representative seat outside the diplomatic area at a peace memorial ceremony, which Taiwan's representative called an intentional belittling of Taiwan's status.
  • Taiwan's representative, Lee Yi-yang, protested and refused to attend, stating the decision bowed to Chinese will and became a tool for Beijing's legal warfare against Taiwan.
  • Taiwan emphasized its pursuit of peace and its significant economic contributions to Japan, urging Nagasaki City not to cooperate with China's suppression.

Nagasaki City's decision to place Taiwan's representative outside the diplomatic area at its atomic bomb peace memorial ceremony has sparked strong protest from Taiwan. Representative Lee Yi-yang refused to attend, calling the move an intentional belittling of Taiwan's national status and dignity. He stated that Nagasaki City's choice bowed to Chinese pressure, turning the ceremony into a tool for Beijing's legal warfare aimed at undermining Taiwan's sovereignty.

Nagasaki City's wrong decision has become a tool for China's legal warfare against Taiwan, stating that Taiwan is not a country, has no sovereignty, and is part of China.

— Lee Yi-yangTaiwan's representative to Japan, Lee Yi-yang, explaining his refusal to attend the Nagasaki atomic bomb memorial ceremony.

Lee emphasized Taiwan's commitment to peace and its deep understanding of war's tragedy, noting that many Taiwanese were victims of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. He highlighted Taiwan's significant economic contributions to Japan, including substantial investments like TSMC's Kumamoto plant and generous disaster relief donations. Taiwan's tourism and economic achievements, he argued, demonstrate its global importance and value, making Nagasaki City's actions particularly disappointing.

Taiwan is a sovereign and independent country, separate from China. The Republic of China was founded earlier than China, and Taiwan has never been part of China.

— Lee Yi-yangLee Yi-yang's statement asserting Taiwan's sovereignty in response to Nagasaki City's seating arrangement.

"Taiwan is a sovereign and independent country, separate from China," Lee asserted, condemning Nagasaki City's deference to China. He pointed out that China's expansionist military actions and threats to regional peace directly contradict the ceremony's message of abolishing nuclear weapons and pursuing peace. Lee expressed regret that Nagasaki City would align with China, thereby diminishing Taiwan, a nation that pursues peace and maintains friendly relations with Japan.

Nagasaki City should not cooperate with China to suppress Taiwan.

— Lee Yi-yangLee Yi-yang urging Nagasaki City to reconsider its actions, given the strong Taiwan-Japan relationship.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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