TAIPEI, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- More than 100 people from various sectors of society gathered in Taipei on Tuesday for a forum marking the 160th anniversary of Sun Yat-sen's birth, calling for people in Taiwan and in the mainland to jointly carry on Sun's legacy, promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and work together to achieve the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Wang Cho-chung, president of Taiwan-based Meihua Media, said in his opening remarks that Sun was a great figure revered by people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
He expressed hope that the forum would serve not only as an occasion to commemorate Sun but also as a platform for bringing together wisdom and strength to explore ways to advance cross-Strait peace and improve the well-being of people on both sides.
Born in 1866, Sun is widely regarded as a pioneer of China's democratic revolution for his leading role in the 1911 Revolution, which ended more than 2,000 years of imperial rule in China. He died on March 12, 1925.
Sun visited Taiwan three times, in 1900, 1913 and 1918, when the island was under Japanese colonial rule. His ideas inspired many local young patriots, some of whom traveled to the mainland to take part in revolutionary activities, while others organized anti-Japanese resistance on the island.
Today, numerous roads and parks across Taiwan and the mainland bear Sun's name.
Sun was also a founding figure of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT). At the forum, Chang Jung-kung, vice chairman of the KMT, recalled visiting Sun's Mausoleum in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, multiple times.
Chang said that Taiwan residents' surnames are all common Chinese surnames, that they speak Chinese, and that pursuing peace on the basis of national identity is an upright and justified stance that should naturally be taken.
Ou Gui-zhi, secretary-general of the Chinese Culture Promotion Association, said commemorative activities for Sun in Taiwan in recent years had largely relied on grassroots initiatives.
Nevertheless, each event represented a spark of enthusiasm, she said, expressing hope that these efforts would eventually grow into a wider movement.
Kao Yuang-kuang, a prominent scholar and adviser to Meihua Media, said he was encouraged by the mainland's high-profile commemorative activities honoring Sun, as well as grassroots efforts in Taiwan.
He said such activities could have a meaningful impact on people in Taiwan, criticizing the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities for playing down Sun's legacy and pursuing policies aimed at removing Chinese cultural elements and weakening historical ties with the mainland.
Kuo Nien-kun, chairman of Taiwan-based Unity and Self-Reliance Association, said Sun's legacy serves as an important bridge connecting people across the Strait. He expressed confidence that Chinese people have the wisdom and ability to build a future of peaceful development across the Strait and work together to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. ■
