China's state media and armed forces staged a coordinated publicity campaign on Sunday to mark Taiwan Restoration Day, the anniversary of the end of Japanese colonial rule over the island, the South China Morning Post reported, in a report republished by Vesper News.

Source: South China Morning Post via Vesper News

Beijing formally designated October 25 as an official memorial date last year, the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's return to Chinese administration following Japan's 1895-1945 occupation, the Post reported. State broadcaster CCTV aired a short video built from commercial satellite imagery of the island, it said.

Source: South China Morning Post via Vesper News

Oct 25Taiwan Restoration Day, designated an official memorial date by Beijing last year
1895-1945period of Japanese colonial rule over Taiwan cited in the commemoration
81 yearsanniversary cited at the Nairobi exhibition timed to Restoration Day, Eastleigh Voice reported

The commemoration underscores Beijing's long-standing position that Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory and that reunification, by force if necessary, remains a core strategic goal, the Post reported, noting Chinese officials have never renounced the option of military action to bring the self-governing island under mainland control.

Source: South China Morning Post via Vesper News

On a second front of the same campaign, China declared its reunification with Taiwan is 'unstoppable', using the launch of a historical photo exhibition in Nairobi to project its message, the Eastleigh Voice reported. The exhibition, held at China Square in Karen and showcased by Xinhua's Africa office, was timed to commemorate the 81st anniversary of Taiwan's restoration and the upcoming Taiwan Restoration Day on October 25, it said.

Source: Eastleigh Voice

'81 years ago, in 1945, the Chinese people achieved the great victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression through arduous and heroic struggle,' Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Guo Haiyan told attendees in Nairobi, the Eastleigh Voice reported.

Source: Eastleigh Voice

Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's framing and continues to assert the island's democratic self-rule, rebuffing any suggestion that its residents answer to the mainland, the Post reported. The renewed messaging comes amid persistent cross-strait friction, with repeated Chinese military activity near Taiwan drawing protests from Taipei and concern from regional governments, it said.