Critical Analysis: Selectively Remembering History
In a grand spectacle, Chinese President Xi Jinping led a parade in Tiananmen Square to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. The event, however, has sparked controversy and raised concerns, particularly in Taiwan.
The parade, heavily laden with propaganda, was a showcase of military hardware, implying a potential for destruction. Xi Jinping's speech, while emphasizing the "unstoppable" rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, also included references to war, confrontation, and zero-sum games, implying a "them and us" mentality, suggesting that everyone else should get out of the way.
The situation in Taiwan is of particular concern, as Xi Jinping's speech distorted historical events and his actions have been seen as an attempt to swing the power pendulum towards authoritarian leaders, including himself. Notably, only former KMT chairwoman Hung Hsiu-chu was reported to have attended the parade, providing the Chinese Communist Party with optics of the opposing sides in the Chinese Civil War coming together.
Meanwhile, in Taipei, President William Lai delivered a speech focusing on the lessons to be learned from WWII, emphasizing that aggression would inevitably fail. However, Lai did not mention the potential loss of lives before "unstoppable" aggression is halted, a stark contrast to Xi Jinping's rhetoric.
S.C.M. Paine, a US historian, has highlighted that the Chinese Civil War precipitated a regional war between China and Japan, making it part of a global war. This context adds a layer of complexity to the commemoration, as the Kuomintang, not the Chinese Communist Party, fought the Japanese in China.
The Chinese state media has turned Hung Hsiu-chu's attendance into propaganda, portraying her as representing the Chinese Nationalist Party in the parade. Yet, no other KMT leadership figures were mentioned as attending the Tiananmen Square parade for the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The same day saw messages of peace, reconciliation, and the folly of aggression, but the parade in Tiananmen Square, with Xi Jinping flanked by dictators, warmongers, authoritarian leaders, and representatives of countries on only one side of the globe, has raised questions about China's true intentions. The commemoration serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between commemorating history and shaping it for political gain.
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