(Deutsche Welle Chinese website) The full name of Russia’s unofficial representative office in Taiwan is the Representative Office of the Moscow-Taipei Economic and Cultural Coordination Committee in Taipei, or the representative office of the Moscow-Taipei Association in Taiwan for short. A post on its Facebook page on September 3 said: "On the occasion of the 81st anniversary of the end of World War II, the Moscow-Taipei Economic and Cultural Coordination Committee in Taipei hosted a screening of the documentary "Smashing Japanese Militarism" and held a historical document exhibition of "Japanese Surrender" to present the final stage of the war."
The post also read: "On August 9 (1945), based on its international obligations, the Soviet Union launched a strategic offensive campaign in Manchuria against Japan, which had treacherously occupied Northeast China. The Soviet army faced off against the most important combat group in the Imperial Japanese Armed Forces: the Kwantung Army. With the support of the Chinese people, the Red Army launched an offensive in a vast area with difficult terrain and defeated the main force of the Kwantung Army in a short period of time."
Taiwanese officials believe that the film screening event held by the Russian Representative Office in Taipei last week was to spread and promote China's narrative against Japan's "new militarism" threat theory. After Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made a statement last year that "there is something going on in Taiwan," it triggered a diplomatic crisis between China and Japan.
The Russian Foreign Ministry did not respond to Reuters' request for an interview. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed ignorance of the matter, but stated that the Allied forces, including China, Russia and the United States, defeated Japanese militarism. It is the common responsibility of the international community to uphold and promote the correct historical view of World War II.
Taiwan’s National Security Council: Pay close attention to Sino-Russian cognitive operations cooperation
Taiwan’s National Security Council told Reuters that it is paying close attention to Sino-Russian military and cognitive operations cooperation.
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that about 20 academics were invited to visit the screening event at the Russian Representative Office in Taiwan. Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it respects "legitimate and normal exchanges". At the same time, the Russian representative office "should also respect historical facts and abide by universal values such as democracy and freedom."
Reuters reported that its reporters were not allowed to enter the screening event at the Russian representative office. The staff of the Russian representative office said that only invited persons are allowed to enter.
A person who attended the screening said those present included former journalists, business people, academics and other public figures.
In August, the ambassadors of China and Russia jointly issued a document warning some countries in the Asia-Pacific region against militarization.
Reuters quoted sources in the diplomatic circle as saying that Russian diplomats have generally kept a low profile in Taipei since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. The Russian representative office in Taipei was established in 1996.
Many media websites in Taiwan reported this news from Reuters.
China's Taiwan Affairs Office refuted Taiwan's concerns about the screening, calling it "another ploy to manipulate anti-China sentiment for political gain."
After Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, Taiwan joined other Western allies in imposing sanctions on Russia and was included in Russia's list of "unfriendly" countries and regions. Senior Russian officials have publicly supported Beijing's political stance on Taiwan.
