I am very pleased today to be invited to attend this tea party celebrating the 60th anniversary of Taiwan's retrocession from the Japanese rule. Examination and retrospection of history have been the greatest force that pushes a society to move forward. And therefore, the organization and reconstruction of the Taiwan history is the foundation we have to lay in our way to a normal country.
The true meaning of Taiwan's Retrocession Day on October 25 lies not in the complicated historical relations between Taiwan and China, but in reminding the Taiwanese people of the importance of being the masters of their own. Tragedy would repeat itself if we are unable to claim our right to be our own masters. Taiwan has gone through two major historical events since the 19th Century — being ceded to Japan in 1895 and being out of the Japanese rule in 1945. Whether it is being ceded or being restored, the Taiwan people had played no part in the events and were ripped off the right to have a say on both matters. Yet they had to suffer from the repression and hardship that were inflicted on them.
I am aware that it could be an extremely difficult task to establish a single "historical perspective" that can be accepted by all 23 million people of Taiwan. The interpretation of history and the development of democracy are the two major fronts of a country. And many of the democracies transformed from authoritarian states have faced the problem of transitional justice, where historical events and figures got re-evaluated and where wounds of the past need to be healed.
In closing, I thank the authorities for sponsoring the event, and I wish all distinguished guests here good health and happiness.