China has once again reminded the world that Taiwan lies at the centre of its political imagination. On October 24, 2025, Beijing officially declared October 25 as “Taiwan Restoration Day”, marking the anniversary of the island’s handover from Japanese control in 1945. The announcement, passed by the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress, might sound like a domestic commemoration, but its echoes are regional. For India, it’s a move worth watching closely.
A New Symbol in China’s Political Calendar
In its statement, Beijing said the new “Restoration Day” celebrates the “return” of Taiwan to the motherland after Japan’s surrender in World War II. The narrative is familiar: Taiwan is inseparable from China, and reunification is the unfinished chapter of the Chinese national story.
To Chinese audiences, it’s a patriotic reaffirmation. To the rest of Asia, it’s a signal, a reminder that Beijing is institutionalising its claims and hardening its stance through law, memory, and myth-making.
Why India Should Care
At first glance, Taiwan’s politics might seem far removed from India’s daily concerns. But in today’s interconnected Indo-Pacific, every symbolic move carries strategic meaning.
1. The Regional Ripple Effect
China’s declaration is not just about history. It is about power projection. For India, a key player in the Quad and a neighbour with its own tense border issues with Beijing, this development signals China’s renewed confidence in reclaiming narratives, territories, and global attention.
If Beijing can turn history into a weaponised narrative over Taiwan, similar approaches could extend to other territorial disputes, from the South China Sea to the Himalayas.
2. A Signal to the U.S. and Allies
The timing isn’t accidental. As the U.S. and its allies tighten support for Taipei, China’s message is loud: “This is our internal matter.” For India, which walks the tightrope between strategic autonomy and partnership with Washington, the move adds complexity to balancing diplomacy.
It also sharpens the need for India to strengthen its own deterrence and maritime strategy, from the Andaman Sea to the Western Pacific, where China’s growing assertiveness increasingly defines the security environment.
3. Lessons in Symbolic Statecraft
China understands the power of symbols. By designating a “Restoration Day,” it reclaims moral legitimacy and embeds the reunification idea in public consciousness.
India, which also faces territorial and narrative challenges, from the Line of Actual Control to regional influence contests, can take note of how Beijing uses culture, law, and memory to consolidate geopolitical aims.
India’s Likely Response: Quiet Observation, Not Provocation
New Delhi will not react openly. India recognises the People’s Republic of China and adheres, in official language, to the One-China Policy. But it also maintains unofficial trade and technology ties with Taiwan, which has become a critical player in the global semiconductor ecosystem.
In practical terms, India will:
- Continue its engagement with Taiwan through economic and innovation channels, without political endorsement.
- Monitor Beijing’s tone and the domestic use of this “Restoration Day” in propaganda.
- Weave the Taiwan question into its broader Indo-Pacific calculus, especially in dialogues with Japan, Australia, and the U.S.
Reading Between the Lines
China’s new law isn’t about changing the map today, it’s about changing the meaning of the map tomorrow. By turning Taiwan’s “return” into a national festival, Beijing makes it harder to compromise later. It’s a long game of narratives, one India understands all too well.
For India, the move underlines three realities:
- China is not slowing down its ideological and territorial consolidation.
- Regional conflicts now unfold through symbolism and commemoration as much as through arms and diplomacy.
- Strategic alertness, not confrontation, will define India’s best response.
The Bigger Picture
This “Taiwan Restoration Day” is less about nostalgia and more about the future Beijing wants to create. One where historical memory and national ambition are fused. India’s challenge is to remain steady, balancing autonomy with alliances, economics with security, and principle with pragmatism. Because in Asia’s new cold peace, even a holiday declared in Beijing can quietly reshape the region’s politics.
