A photo exhibition of testimony and evidence commemorating Taiwan's patriotic history over the past 120 years was unveiled in Beijing on Tuesday.

The opening ceremony attracted around 200 people including representatives from cross-Straits related associations and institutes, history experts and media.

Liang Guoyang, Party chief of the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots spoke of Taiwan people's patriotic fight during its half century as a colony under Japan.

The First Sino-Japanese War (1 August 1894 – 17 April 1895) was fought between Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) China and Meiji Japan. The Qing government was defeated and signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki under which Taiwan was ceded to Japan. The war is commonly known in China as the War of Jiawu.

"Since then, Japan began its 50 years' brutalized governing of Taiwan. But Taiwan people’s fight against invaders has never ended. With the support of compatriots from the Chinese mainland, Taiwan people carried out many resistance battles and left behind many anti-Japanese heroes and stories. Some 650,000 Taiwan people lost their lives during the fight," Liang said.

"Taiwan people's anti-Japanese history is an important part of Chinese nation’s anti-aggression history," he added.

"2015 is the not only the 70th anniversary of the Victory of China’s Anti-Japanese War, but also is the 70th anniversary for the Retrocession of Taiwan. We hope the exhibition can jog the memories of people cross-Straits".

The event was co-sponsored by the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots, the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance against Japanese Aggression，Beijing Federation of Taiwan Compatriots, Fujian Provincial Archives and the Association of Family Members of Anti-Japanese Heroes in Taiwan.

Divided into eight parts, besides words and photos, the exhibition also presents some precious historical relics. It will be open to the public until June 16 at the Taiwan Center in Beijing.