A film depicting the atrocities committed by Japan's notorious Unit 731 of germ warfare during World War II hit seven theaters in China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Thursday, resonating deeply with the local audience.
"Evil Unbound" tells the story of Wang Yongzhang, a local vendor, and others imprisoned in the "special prison" by Unit 731, where they were lured by false promises of freedom in return for cooperating with supposed health checks and disease prevention research, only to become victims of horrific medical experiments, including frostbite tests, gas exposure, and vivisection.
The film was released on September 18, the 94th anniversary of the September 18 Incident in 1931, which marked the start of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in China's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
After viewing the film, many moviegoers expressed that the film has told them to draw lessons from history and reminded them to cherish peace.
"After watching this film, I felt deeply moved. I also felt the weight of history and saw how our predecessors endured a sorrowful chapter during the war of resistance. It made us cherish today's hard-won peace even more," said Kong Chi Meng, director of Macao's Education and Youth Development Bureau.
"We hope that the youth of Macao will better remember history and cherish peace, especially by establishing a correct view of history, so that they may more profoundly understand that it's important to build a strong country and achieve the national rejuvenation," he added.
"This film, to me, was a profound history lesson. This period of history is a deeply painful one for us Chinese. As an educator, I believe it is our responsibility to ensure that our students and the younger generation gain a deeper understanding of the history," said Wong Pui Mui, principal of Flora Official School in Macao.
Unit 731, a top-secret biological and chemical warfare research base in Pingfang District of Harbin, the capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, served as the nerve center for Japanese biological warfare in China and Southeast Asia during WW II. Historical records suggest that between 1940 and 1945, Unit 731 used at least 3,000 people in its human experiments, and Japan's biological weapons killed more than 300,000 people in China.
Film spotlighting Japan's WWII germ warfare atrocities hits theaters in Macao
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
