TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — The government has urged its people to reject China’s upcoming World War II anniversary events and accused Beijing of distorting history to push its sovereignty claims over Taiwan.

Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said China’s narrative wrongly credits the Chinese Communist Party with leading the war effort against Japan, per a Reuters story. The council emphasized that it was the Republic of China, Taiwan’s government before 1949, that led the fight against Japan — not the CCP.

Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) commented, “The Chinese Communist regime has repeatedly distorted the facts in recent years, claiming that the war against Japan was led by the Communist Party, and has even fabricated the notion that Taiwan belongs to the People's Republic of China.”

China plans a military parade in Beijing next month, commemorating the 80th anniversary of Japan’s defeat. Taiwanese veterans were invited, but the government has banned current and former defense and diplomatic officials from attending the event. 

Meanwhile, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) praised unity and democracy as the key lessons of WWII and warned against authoritarianism’s threat in the region. He stressed the need for vigilance, saying, “Aggression only leads to defeat.”   

Beijing criticized Taiwan’s rejection of its narrative but has not commented on the travel bans.