President Ma Ying-jeou says Taiwan must face the saddest page in its history with sincerity. He was speaking at a ceremony on Thursday in which the Taipei 228 Memorial Museum and the National 228 Memorial pledged to work together.

The numbers "2-2-8" refer to an uprising that began in Taiwan on February 28, 1947. The uprising was sparked by a conflict between a female cigarette vender and authorities. It resulted in a major loss of life among both the local Taiwanese population and new arrivals from China.

At the ceremony on Thursday, President Ma said Taiwan needs to face history even if that means his own party -- the Kuomintang -- comes under fire.

"We must face history with sincerity. We will present the facts with no cover-ups. That is the right attitude. I think the [planned establishment] of a National 228 Memorial is a major way in which we can [examine] the saddest page in Taiwanese history. The [Memorial] can help improve the character of the Taiwanese people and the quality of politics as well."

The government has designated a site in Taipei to build the National 228 Memorial.