Taipei: Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an, a purported descendant of late Republic of China President Chiang Kai-shek, stated Saturday that rather than shunning the 228 Incident, he will spare no effort to address history "as a Taiwanese" in a bid to transcend it. Speaking at a ceremony marking the 79th anniversary of the 228 Incident at 228 Peace Memorial Park, the Kuomintang (KMT) mayor apologized to the descendants of victims in his capacity as mayor.

According to Focus Taiwan, during his speech, Chiang emphasized that the massacre was a "tragedy that should by no means have occurred." He stressed the importance of remembering history to learn and move forward. "As those who came later, we must not forget history, but have it engraved in our minds so that we can transcend it," he stated. The 228 Incident refers to the crackdown on protesters in 1947 following the brutal beating of a tobacco vendor by government agents, which led to islandwide demonstrations and a death toll between 18,000 and 28,000.

Chiang highlighted initiatives since his office began in 2022, directing the Taipei Department of Cultural Affairs to prioritize projects such as renovating the Taipei 228 Memorial Museum and publishing monographs by 2026. "Our attitude and stance are clear. We will certainly not shun history, but rather try our best to present as many aspects of it as possible through historical materials," he said.

During the event, a descendant of a victim protested, wearing a paper bag over their head and carrying a placard reading: "Forgiveness is impossible without addressing the facts." In response, Chiang assured that the city government will "do its utmost to heal the wounds."

Former Vice President Annette Lu, also in attendance, remarked that the 228 Incident is a historical debt for all in Taiwan. "While the perpetrators and victims are no longer with us, we, the descendants, must remember the lessons of history," Lu said. She acknowledged Chiang's familial ties to Chiang Kai-shek and emphasized the need for collective memory and vigilance. Lu also urged the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to consistently respect the commemoration, regardless of political leadership in Taipei. "The future of Taiwan's history should be created by both the 'Blue' (KMT) and 'Green' (DPP) camps," she concluded.