President Ma Ying-jeou says that a WWII victory by late Chinese general Sun Li-jen played an important role in bringing about Taiwan's return to Chinese rule.
Ma was speaking Saturday at a Buddhist ceremony in Taipei. This year marks the 115th anniversary of Sun’s birth. The ceremony was held in honor of Sun whose army fought with Japanese troops on the Burma Front in mid-April 1942. Sun's army had fewer than 1000 soldiers remaining.
Ma said that King George VI conferred a medal on Sun, as his troops rescued more than 7000 British soldiers. Sun also received an award from US President Franklin Roosevelt.
More importantly, Ma said, Sun's victory carried political and diplomatic significance. Ma said that the victory raised China’s profile in the international community during WWII and prompted Great Britain and the United States to abolish all of the unequal treaties they had imposed on China. The president said that both countries ended their consular jurisdiction in China following the battle.
Ma also said that Sun's victory also contributed to the decision to hold the Cairo Conference. The 1943 Cairo Declaration that resulted from the conference included provisions that returned Taiwan to Chinese rule at the end of the war.