The year 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. In Japan, there has been much talk about the 80th anniversary of its defeat and end of the war, while in China the 80th anniversary is being marked in a number of different ways. On August 13, the Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the U.N. and the China Media Group organized a social exchange activity at the United Nations to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations.
That represents two of three 80th anniversaries this year. One commemorates China’s victory in its war with Japan together with the Allied victory in the global war against fascism, while a second marks the founding of the United Nations. At its August 13 event, Chinese Ambassador Fu Cong said, “80 years ago, China, at the cost of immense national sacrifice, made a decisive contribution to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War. China was proud to be the first country to sign the United Nations Charter, and has since worked hand in hand with all nations for peace and development.” He went on to add that China will protect the United Nations by not forgetting its initial zeal and maintaining “the correct historical view of World War II.”
It is certainly true that China joining the Allies in World War II and being one of the four great Allied powers was the key factor in it becoming a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, so it is understandable that the People’s Republic of China would celebrate these two victories. Still, it should be noted that the People’s Republic of China was established in 1949, so it was actually a representative of the Republic of China who signed the U.N. Charter.
In Taiwan, meanwhile, the current leader of the Republic of China did not comment on the 80th anniversary of the end of the war against Japan specifically. Rather, President Lai Ching-te framed the moment as an anniversary of the end of World War II, and while criticizing the aggressors, he also noted that the defeated powers had been restored as peaceful nations after the war. The Kuomintang (KMT) issued a strong protest, but there is a significant divide in the way the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the opposing KMT view the history of Taiwan and China, while their position on the invasion of Taiwan also differ. What particularly concerns the KMT, however, is not their differences with the DPP but rather the difference in perception with China.
There is a third 80th anniversary: the 80th anniversary of Taiwan’s restoration to rule by the government of mainland China. For the Republic of China, 1945 brough not only victory in the war against Japan and global fascism, it also signified the liberation of Taiwan. Today, the People’s Republic of China wants to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Taiwan’s restoration as a way to demonstrate that Taiwan is part of China. This is at odds with the view on history of Taiwan’s ruling DPP.
The Taiwan Work Office of the Chinese Communist Party is actively accusing President Lai Ching-te and the DPP of distorting historical facts, although those accusations carry little import in Taiwan itself. For its part, the Taiwanese Mainland Affairs Council announced that it would prohibit Taiwanese central and local government officials, diplomatic and security officials, and military personnel above a certain rank from participating in events to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Beijing earlier this month, with the ban also applying to retired personnel.
When it comes to issues of historical perception in East Asia, there is a very noticeable fault line not only between Japan and China, but also between China and Taiwan.
So, how are these three anniversaries linked? China believes that the victory in the broader war against fascism shows that China was an integral part of the international community, while the victory against Japan highlighted China’s specific contributions. Moreover, the United Nations and the U.N. Security Council chair created by the Allies in World War II are thought by the Chinese to be evidence that China was a key member of the Allies and one of the victors of the war. China today has prickly relationships with some of its erstwhile Allied partners, but it values the United Nations and sees itself as a country that embodies the U.N. Charter. As such, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the United Nations along with the victory in the war is very closely linked to current Chinese policy.
In 2015, Beijing emphasized that it had fought alongside the United States and the United Kingdom, and that the KMT had also contributed during the war. In 2025, there has been little of that. This reflects policy shifts that in turn mirror the current international situation and the fact that the KMT–Chinese Communist Party alliance is no longer the cornerstone of Taiwanese reunification policy.
The emphasis on the 80th anniversary of Taiwan’s restoration is also something that was not observed during the 70th anniversary of Taiwan’s restoration in 2015. However, given Beijing’s efforts to demonstrate that Taiwan is part of China through U.N. Document No. 2758 and other means, it wants to commemorate Taiwanese liberation by linking the 80th anniversary of the United Nations with the 80th anniversary of Taiwan’s restoration. Moreover, since victory in the war against Japan ended Japanese colonial rule over Taiwan, it makes sense that all three anniversaries are linked.
And so the three 80th anniversaries are not only linked, but also provide historical backing for China’s policies today. Along with the United States and the other victors of the war, China helped created the postwar world. Now – and this is in contrast to the 70th anniversary celebrations in 2015 when it emphasized the CCP’s wartime alliance with the KMT – China seeks to create a new reality.