Photo taken on Aug. 18, 2017 shows the statue of Zheng Chenggong, a naval general who forced Dutch invaders to leave Taiwan, on the Gulangyu island off the coast of Xiamen, a scenic city in the southeast China's Fujian Province. Photo: Xinhua

A political advisor from Taiwan proposed commemorating in 2022 the 360th anniversary of the national hero Zheng Chenggong's recovery of the island as China's territory, which he believed would be conducive to promoting the peaceful development of relations across the Taiwan Straits and national reunification. 

The proposal was put forward by Luo Shaming, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political advisory body, who is also a member of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League. 

He suggested that the commemoration be held jointly by CPPCC and relevant authorities of East China's Fujian Province in Beijing next year, and that cultural and academic activities related to Zheng should be included into the "Straits Forum," a platform held annually in Fujian for cross-Straits cultural exchange. 

Zheng Chenggong (1624-1662), or Koxinga, , a militarist in late Ming (1368-1644) and early Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, is seen as a national hero by people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits for driving out Dutch invaders and reclaiming the island of Taiwan as China's territory. 

Luo said that national reunification is a general trend that will definitely happen, and commemorating Zheng's recovery of Taiwan is conducive to uniting people across the Straits.

He believed that Zheng's arduous struggle to expel Dutch colonists and recover Taiwan can enhance people's national pride and sense of territorial sovereignty. 

He also added the historical achievements that Zheng successfully developed Taiwan and placed it within the cultural category and administrative territory of China, which vigorously rejects the separatist schemes of seeking "Taiwan Independence," and declares the firm determination of the central government to safeguard its sovereign integrity.