Martyrs memorial boosts cross-Straits ties

To commemorate the first official memorial day of the Chinese people's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-1945) on Sept 3, top Chinese leaders paid their respects to the martyrs at the Museum of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

Before that the Ministry of Civil Affairs released a list of 300 martyrs and heroic groups who sacrificed their lives during the Japanese invasion of China. The list includes the names of resistance fighters from not only the Communist Party of China-led forces such as the Eighth Route Army and New Fourth Army, but also other anti-Japanese militia forces, with officers and soldiers from the Kuomintang, accounting for more than 30 percent of all names.

Although the list should have had more Kuomintang martyrs' names, at least half, it is still of historical significance and a good start to a joint cross-Straits study of the Chinese people's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, which I have been calling for over the past years.

What we have to do is to set aside the difference in ideology between both sides, and make unbiased narration of basic facts, such as the root of Japanese invasion, known by more Chinese people. To fully uncover the truth of this war, scholars should thoroughly study a variety of historical documents and literature, especially those kept by both the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.

Besides, the referential historical records provided by both official and civil parties in Japan, can take us one step closer to authentic wartime records. Of course, relevant Western study is worth consulting basically as third-party sources.