Taiwan's ruling party pushed back hard against Beijing's version of World War II history, a sign that the fight over the past is now part of the fight over Taiwan's future.

• China's Taiwan Affairs Office said the Communist Party was the backbone of the resistance against Japan during the war.
• Taiwan's ruling DPP dismissed that, pointing to the widely known line in Taiwan that the Communists spent most of the war building their own strength rather than fighting Japan.
• The DPP says Beijing is spreading a false historical story abroad to chip away at Taiwan's and the Republic of China's standing as a separate entity.
• Taiwanese reporters pressed Beijing's spokesman on whether backing the Republic of China counts as supporting independence, and got no direct answer.
• Taiwan's envoy to Washington and its deputy foreign minister have both been publicly rebutting China's version of events.

Outlook: Expect the history fight to keep escalating as Taiwan heads into local elections in late November, where the ruling party is campaigning on pay, taxes and welfare.