Xi’s WWII Remarks Stir Debate Over Republic of China’s Role

Washington:During a state dinner at the White House, Chinese President Xi Jinping highlighted U.S.-China cooperation during World War II, notably omitting the Republic of China (ROC) from his account. Xi remarked, "During World War II, China and the United States fought side by side against fascist aggression," yet did not mention the ROC, which was the Chinese government at the time and is now based in Taiwan. According to Focus Taiwan, Taiwanese scholars at a forum in Taipei expressed concern that Xi's omission was intended to align the wartime alliance with the People's Republic of China (PRC), founded in 1949. Wang Hsin-hsien from National Chengchi University suggested that Xi could benefit if the historical alliance was perceived as being between the PRC and the United States, potentially erasing the ROC's role. The White House fact sheet following Xi's visit also referred simply to "China," without acknowledging the ROC as the government during World War II. In contrast, the American Institute in Taiw an noted the ROC's involvement in a prior statement. Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council criticized Xi's comments, asserting that they ignored the ROC's alliance with the U.S. Kuo Yu-jen from the Institute for National Policy Research stated that Xi's comments aimed to imply the ROC's replacement by the PRC and to emphasize Japan's wartime actions amid current China-Japan tensions. Despite the controversy, Tseng Wei-feng of NCCU observed no immediate change in U.S. policy toward Taiwan. He noted the potential for diplomatic language to influence perceptions over time, referencing historical documents like the 1972 Shanghai Communiqué. Tseng stressed that Xi's comments were intended for a global audience, not just for American ears.