Ma Ying-jeou seeks cross-Strait study of Japanese war crimes

Ma Ying-jeou, the former chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang party, takes a group of Taiwan students to the Exhibition Hall of Evidences of Crime Committed by Unit 731 of the Japanese Imperial Army in the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin, Heilongjiang province on Friday. (Photo provided for China Daily)

Ma Ying-jeou, the former chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang party, on Friday expressed his desire to facilitate cooperation between historical scholars from both sides of the Taiwan Strait to uncover the truth of the history of Japanese aggression against China.

Ma made the remarks while taking a group of Taiwan students to visit the Exhibition Hall of Evidences of Crime Committed by Unit 731 of the Japanese Imperial Army in the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin, Heilongjiang province, during his third visit to the Chinese mainland.

"It's very moving, reminding me of many memories from my childhood when my parents shared stories from the wartime era," he said.

"During World War II, the atrocities committed by Unit 731 are truly appalling and shocking," Ma said. He mentioned that the majority of Taiwan people have not been exposed to the history of the atrocities committed by Unit 731.

He said that Taiwan's academic community and those from the mainland should collaborate to fully disclose these historical facts, piece by piece, and the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation is willing to assist in facilitating an unprecedented collaboration between academic circles on both sides of the Taiwan Strait in this regard.

"This period of history is incredibly weighty, and we absolutely cannot afford to overlook it," he added.

Ma emphasized that history is meant to provide lessons to prevent the repetition of similar mistakes, and people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, especially the younger generation, need the opportunity to learn history.