Taiwan President Ma Speaks of Strong Military on October 10th Anniversary

October 10th is the 100-year anniversary of the Xinhai Revolution that toppled the Qing Dynasty and started the Republic of China. After losing the civil war in 1949 to Communist forces, the Nationalist Government fled to Taiwan and still rules Taiwan and the surrounding islands under the name the Republic of China.

On Monday, Taiwan celebrated the anniversary as its national day.

In his speech President Ma Ying-jeou struck out at the distortion of history by the Chinese Communist regime.

[Ma Ying-jeou, President, Republic of China (Taiwan)]:
"In commemorating the Xinhai Revolution, one also must not deliberately cut out certain parts of history, but must bring to light the actual facts of history and face the existence of the Republic of China head-on. The Republic of China's existence is referred to not in the past tense, but in the present."

Ma, who is viewed by many as overly friendly with the Chinese regime, reassured citizens that he recognizes the threat mainland China’s military poses to Taiwan.

[Ma Ying-jeou, President, Republic of China (Taiwan)]:
“Only a strong defense can safeguard Taiwan's security and afford our people the confidence to pursue further improvement in cross-strait relations. During the past three-plus years, we have made great strides forward in enhancing our soldiers' skills and manufacturing our own weaponry. We have also made a series of purchases of advanced defensive weaponry. Over the next decade, we will continue to beef up our defense capabilities and develop a fighting force that meets Taiwan's defensive needs. We must do this to safeguard the sovereignty of the Republic of China and maintain security in the Taiwan Strait."

On October 9th, at an event marking the anniversary at the Great Hall of the people, Hu Jintao re-iterated the CCP’s claims to Taiwan and used the founder of the Republic of China, Sun Yat-sen’s, own words to argue that Taiwan should be unified with China under Communist rule. Yet Sun Yat-sen’s own granddaughter has accused the CCP of distorting her grandfather’s legacy.