Commemorative events held across Taiwan Strait to highlight peace, rejuvenation of Chinese nation: spokesman

China on Sunday marked the 81st anniversary of the 1945 recovery of Taiwan to China from the Japanese colonial rule and observed the Taiwan Recovery Day, with commemorative events held across the Taiwan Strait to honor the shared history of resistance against Japanese aggression and reaffirm calls for national reunification, a Chinese central government spokesman said Wednesday.

A symposium in Fuzhou, capital of east China's Fujian Province which is situated opposite the Taiwan island, brought together about 200 participants, including descendants of Taiwan's anti-Japanese resistance fighters and revolutionary martyrs, young people from both sides of the Strait, representatives from Hong Kong, Macao and overseas communities, and experts and scholars.

"On October 25, a symposium commemorating the 81st anniversary of the recovery of Taiwan to China [from Japanese rule] was held in Fuzhou City, Fujian Province. Participants from both sides of the Taiwan Strait spoke highly of the significance of establishing the Taiwan Recovery Day. Together, they reviewed the glorious journey of the Chinese people -- including our Taiwan compatriots -- who united as one and fought bloody battles to achieve victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the recovery of Taiwan," said Chen Binhua, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, at a press conference in Beijing.

"The attendees unanimously expressed that compatriots on both sides of the Strait should remember history, join hands, firmly defend the achievement of the recovery of Taiwan, resolutely oppose 'Taiwan independence' separatist activities and external interference, shoulder the shared historical responsibility of realizing national reunification, and jointly advance the cause of long-term wellbeing of the Chinese nation," Chen said.

Following its war against China in 1894, Japan seized Taiwan and the Penghu Islands in 1895, subjecting Taiwan to five decades of colonial rule. Taiwan's recovery in 1945 marked a hard-won victory in the Chinese people's resistance against Japanese aggression during World War II and a defining moment in the nation's efforts to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In October 2025, China's national legislature designated Oct 25 as the Taiwan Recovery Day.

Commemorative events held across Taiwan Strait to highlight peace, rejuvenation of Chinese nation: spokesman

Russia's military said more than 1,200 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones were intercepted and destroyed across multiple regions overnight into Thursday, while Ukrainian forces reported striking a Russian drone control point and repelling attacks on several fronts.

In its latest update, the Russian Ministry of Defense said 1,214 Ukrainian drones were downed across 19 regions, including Bryansk, Belgorod, and Moscow.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported on Telegram that 613 drones targeted the capital region between 20:30 Wednesday and 07:00 Thursday. Most were intercepted at long range by air defenses, with an additional 231 destroyed as they approached the city.

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry said a drone struck a dry cargo ship carrying supplies for Ukrainian forces en route to the port of Odesa early Thursday.

In retaliation, Ukrainian forces targeted energy infrastructure in the Luhansk region, cutting power to six towns and leaving over 150,000 households without electricity as of Thursday afternoon, according to Leonid Pasechnik, the Moscow-appointed head of the region. Pasechnik added that central Luhansk was hit by a massive morning strike that damaged residential buildings, a post office, the archives building, and a parking lot, though no injuries were reported.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported in its 08:00 Thursday update that its forces struck two Russian personnel concentration areas and a drone control point over the past 24 hours, while repelling attacks in several directions, including Pokrovsk. Ukrainian forces also claimed to have destroyed various Russian armored vehicles, artillery systems, ground robotic systems, and drones.

Separately, Ukraine's Air Force said Russia launched 112 attack drones beginning Wednesday evening, 97 of which were shot down or suppressed by 08:00 Thursday. The air force noted that the assault was ongoing, with several Russian drones still active in Ukrainian airspace.

Russia reports over 1,200 Ukrainian drones downed overnight as Ukraine counters with strikes