A grand gathering marking the 60th anniversary of China's recovery of Taiwan from Japanese colonial rule after World War II took place at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Tuesday.

Jia Qinglin, head of China's top advisory body, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, delivered a keynote speech titled Strive for Peaceful Reunification of the Motherland and the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation.

Jia said it was of great significance to mark the return of Taiwan from Japanese colonial rule 60 years ago.

Taiwan was ceded to Japan under the "Treaty of Shimonoseki" signed by the Qing Dynasty government on April 17, 1895 after it was defeated in the Sino-Japanese war (1894-95).

The Chinese people's victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-45) ended 50 years of Japanese colonial rule over Taiwan, to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, said Jia.

Jia noted that after 1840 the Chinese nation suffered a great deal from the aggression of imperialist powers, the occupation of Chinese territory by Japan being the most miserable. In the same period the Chinese people rallied and fought for national salvation, and the struggles of Taiwan's compatriots against the Japanese occupiers were an important part of the patriotic struggle against imperialism.

During this time, 650,000 Taiwan compatriots sacrificed their lives, testifying to their Chinese identity as inalienable members of the Chinese nation, Jia said. The resistance of Taiwan's compatriots against Japanese colonial rule reflected the great spirit of the Chinese nation, he added.

Jia said the ceding and recovery of Taiwan as well as other historical events showed Taiwan was an inalienable part of Chinese territory. Taiwan undeniably returned to China 60 years ago both de facto and de jure, he said, and the legal status of Taiwan as an inalienable part of China's territory is beyond doubt and can never be challenged.

Over 600 people including compatriots from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao as well as foreign embassy officials attended the gathering.

Yesterday, a major exhibition commemorating the anniversary opened at the National Museum of China in the capital, aiming to help people remember Taiwan's compatriots' efforts against Japanese rule.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Chen Yunlin, director of the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, called on people in both mainland China and Taiwan to remember history, join hands to defuse separatist attempts and promote the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations.

The exhibition will last until November 6.

Also on Monday, a symposium was held in Hong Kong with dozens of scholars from Taiwan and the mainland, Taiwan compatriots living in Hong Kong and representatives from various walks of life.

They said they believed Taiwan's recovery indicated that it was an inseparable part of China, that Taiwan compatriots made great contributions in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and to close links between the mainland and Taiwan.

Tsen Chien Min, president of Taiwan's research society of social sciences, said Taiwan's recovery proved the existence of "One China".

He strongly criticized separatist forces in Taiwan, who he said have been trying to affect and change Taiwan people's sense of history, in a bid to realize their ambition of "building a country independently."

Zhang Nianchi, president of Shanghai Research Institute of East Asia, said "Taiwan independence" had no way out and nobody could hinder the trend of reunification with the motherland.

Stephen Lam, Hong Kong secretary for Constitutional Affairs, said reunification would benefit all Chinese including Taiwan's compatriots.

He said Taiwan could have much more room for development in economy and many other fields.

Li Guikang, vice director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong, said the anniversary was of great importance to carry on the great national spirit with patriotism at the core.

He said it was also of great importance for enhancing the process of reunification.

(Xinhua News Agency, CRI.com October 25, 2005)