Spring counteroffensives in north China lead to decisive victory over Japan

Amid the intensified World Anti-Fascist War in the spring of 1944, Chinese military and civilian forces launched localized counteroffensives across north China - including a pivotal campaign in Dingxiang County of Shanxi Province - as Japan's Pacific setbacks opened opportunities for Chinese forces to reclaim occupied territories and turn the tide on the northern front.

Mounting pressure in the Pacific forced Japan to redirect resources to Southeast Asia via land routes, drawing troops from north China. This shift created vulnerabilities, which the Eighth Route Army exploited to launch localized counteroffensives. These counteroffensives lasted from the spring of 1944 through the spring and summer of 1945.

The goal was to eliminate Japanese outposts around base areas, restrict enemy movements, and expand liberated zones.

One night in 1944, the Eighth Route Army launched a surprise assault on Dingxiang, capturing the puppet county magistrate Wang Yunhao. This signaled the start of the Dingxiang Counteroffensive.

The strategic progress was evident when comparing the situation in May 1941 - when most flat and hilly areas were under enemy control and only a small mountain zone remained in Chinese hands - to May 1945, by which time Japanese troops had been pushed back to a few strongholds along railway lines.

Facing a vast battlefield with limited regular troops, the Eighth Route Army relied on close coordination with local militia forces. Through mass-based guerrilla tactics - including ambushes, encirclements, landmines, and tunnel warfare - they delivered effective and unpredictable blows to the enemy.

Dingxiang, though situated on open plains with little natural cover, became a center of innovation in tunnel warfare.

"Among the more than 100 villages in Dingxiang County, 82 of them dug tunnel networks, creating interconnected protective systems across several communities," said Niu Xiaoli, a guide of the Xihetou Tunnel complex in Dingxiang.

By April 1945, the number of enemy strongholds in Dingxiang had dropped from 19 to 9, and over 90 percent of villages had been liberated. The success there was part of a broader pattern across north China.

"During the spring counteroffensives in north China, base areas launched over 20,000 engagements, eliminated more than 200,000 Japanese and puppet troops, recovered significant territory, and liberated approximately 17 million people, laying the groundwork for later full-scale offensives," said Liang Xinlei, an assistant research fellow at the Institute of Modern History.

The campaigns from 1944 to 1945 marked a strategic shift from defense to active resistance, disrupting Japanese supply lines and strengthening China's position on the eastern front of World War II, thereby contributing significantly to the global defeat of fascism.

Spring counteroffensives in north China lead to decisive victory over Japan

A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.

Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.

In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.

"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.

Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.

In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.

"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.

By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.

After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.

"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.

Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.

As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.

Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media