The 65th anniversary of the 823 Artillery Bombardment of Kinmen County took place on Wednesday, commemorating the Aug. 23, 1958, date, which marked the beginning of the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis. While the battle signifies protection of Taiwan’s security, it would be more accurate to say that it was a continuation of the civil war between the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). If the KMT government had not brought the Republic of China (ROC) to Taiwan following the end of World War II, it is possible that, after some time under US occupation, Taiwan would have become an independent country.
When the ROC and its government were established, the territory of Taiwan was ruled by Japan, not the ROC. This fact proves that the CCP’s claim that “Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory” is a fabricated justification for invading Taiwan.
It was because of Taiwan’s existence that the US government responded to the 823 Artillery Bombardment by dispatching the US Navy’s Seventh Fleet to help the ROC government defend the islands of Kinmen and Matsu. This prolonged the legal status of the ROC, as unlike Taiwan, Kinmen and Matsu were within the ROC’s territory at the time of its foundation.
The ROC is a special country. In legal terms, Taiwan, which came under US military occupation following Japan’s defeat in World War II, was entrusted to be managed by the ROC government.
However, Taiwan has developed the features and status of a nation state, having all the requisite elements of population, land, government and sovereignty. The only problem is that the continued application of the ROC Constitution does not closely suit the real situation. As this is the case, there is no need for independence, but what is needed is an overhaul of its national institutions.
In commemorating the 823 Artillery Bombardment, there is no need to state once again that it was the reason behind Taiwan’s security, and it is redundant to repeat discussions about what differences might exist between the ROC’s effective governance of Taiwan in comparison to Kinmen and Matsu. This is because Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu have become a community of common destiny.
Since they are all governed by the free and democratic ROC, they should unite as one to resist any aggression against our nation by the despotic CCP regime.
Chen Chi-nung is a political commentator.
Translated by Julian Clegg
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