By Ben Blanchard
TAIPEI, Oct 16 (Reuters) – Taiwan’s government has told its people to shun events in China next month for the anniversary of the birth of a man officially lauded by both Taipei and Beijing for bringing an end to the last imperial dynasty, exposing another historical fault line.
China announced last year that it would hold commemorations on November 12 this year for the 160th birthday of Sun Yat-sen, who died in 1925 but helped lead the 1911 revolution that ended centuries of rule by emperors and empresses.
Sun then founded the Republic of China, which fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong’s communists, and that remains Taiwan’s formal name. Beijing has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control.
In a statement late on Thursday, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said people should not go to China for anniversary events and “echo the Chinese communists’ narratives”.
China’s interpretation of Sun “does not stay faithful to historical fact … It uses these commemorations to promote a narrative of ‘opposing Taiwan independence and promoting unification,'” the council said.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office did not respond to a request for comment.
XI SPOKE AT PREVIOUS COMMEMORATION
Beijing’s government says Sun is a great national hero and patriot, as well as the forerunner of China’s 1949 revolution. China has not detailed what events it will hold next month for the anniversary.
In 2016, President Xi Jinping gave a speech saying Sun opposed attempts to “split the country”, adding that the “complete reunification of the motherland” was a sacred duty for all Chinese.
In Taiwan, Sun is officially considered the “father of the nation” and his portrait hangs in the presidential office, though his “Three Principles of the People” political philosophy is no longer a required school text for children.
While Taiwan President Lai Ching-te and his ruling Democratic Progressive Party champion Taiwan’s separate identity from China, they have been striking a tougher tone with Beijing on the role of the Republic of China.
Taiwan’s government has been particularly upset with Beijing seeking to claim credit for the victory in World War Two, saying it was the Republic of China government that fought with the allies as the People’s Republic of China did not exist then.
China says Lai is a “separatist” and has refused to speak with him. Lai says only Taiwan’s people can decide their future.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Tom Hogue)
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