THE most recently held 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War rightly conveys the message of China’s strong commitments to stability and prosperity, carrying the spirit of sacrifice, submission and struggle for national pride, patriotism, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Definitely it was held to commemorate martyrs, unsung heroes and common people who laid their lives for their beloved country. Neither did it have any political agenda nor was it for any geopolitical or geostrategic maneuvering. It was simply a reflection of the Chinese nation’s true love, respect and thankfulness to its brave soldiers fighting against Japanese naked aggression, brutality and barbarism against common people.
It upholds China’s wisdom, people-friendly political system headed by the CPC, the largest political party in the world, and the will of common people who bravely fought against all odds and the Japanese during WWII. Obviously, the Chinese President Xi Jinping’s emphasis, condemnation and remembering historical experience and lessons of the 80th victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War has nothing to do with any hatred, but to awaken good-hearted people to the aspiration for and commitment to peace.
Consequently, it successfully refuted all false and fake propaganda about this historic event because it was a true history, an expectation for the future and a concrete practice of the principle of learning from history to build a better future, jointly cherishing and safeguarding peace. Additionally, this commemoration of the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression is the memory and truth of history which will not fade with time so that the lessons of history will forever illuminate the present and inspire the future.
Undoubtedly, the Chinese nation is a great nation that is never ruled by any tyrants and always values independence and forges ahead. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army has been productivity, positivity and massive participation guaranteeing people’s safety & security and will always be the heroic armed forces, the ultimate pride of its people. The modern history of human civilization reveals that great nations always learn lessons from the past and believe that history must never be forgotten. Chinese history is full of courage, genuine human struggle and national resistance and 3rd September rightly showcased its people’s memorable national sacrifice with more than 35 million casualties, making a major contribution to saving human civilization, defending world peace and winning sincere respect from peace-loving people across the world. Thus it is a day of national recognition to the blood of indefinite martyrs over beasts.
It clearly demonstrates the Chinese people’s national resolve and staunch struggle of 14 years, completely defeating the brutal Japanese militarist aggressors and achieving a historic transition of the Chinese nation from a profound crisis since modern times to great rejuvenation. Moreover, it represents the improbable bravery of the Communist Party of China which fought at the forefront of the War of Resistance, disseminating the hope of the Chinese nation for survival and standing firm as the mainstay in the whole nation’s War of Resistance. Hence the vital role of the CPC in reminding that the value of self-defense, determination and humanistic nationalism is the only way to stop aggressors, win the war and win peace and respect with victory.
Comparative studies of Chinese modern history divulge that the Chinese are a peace-loving nation and will not provoke trouble, but they never flinch when trouble comes their way. Additionally, the Chinese nation cannot be intimidated or crushed; and no country or force should ever entertain the thought of stopping the marching steps of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. During World War II, more than 100 million military personnel and civilians were killed or injured. Evidently, the law of the jungle and the strong preying on the weak are anti-humanity, anti-development and anti-peace in which militarism and hegemony used to play a dangerous role. It remained a total sum of a zero-sum game, whereas China stands for win-win cooperation, befitting propositions and shared global prosperity. Therefore, all forces should stand for justice and against hegemony, bullying and high-handed practices and strive for a brighter future for humanity. Chinese modernization is the modernization of peaceful development. China will always be a force for peace, stability and progress in the world.
Ironically, some forces in Japan are trying to whitewash the history of aggression and war, and Japanese militarism is still haunting. It is pertinent to mention that Japan’s increasing defense budget surpassing 8.85 trillion yen for fiscal year 2026 and the deployment of upgraded Type-12 land-based anti-ship long-range missiles to Kyushu, whose range covers China’s coastal area, should be discouraged.
The Japanese side should earnestly respect the security concerns of its Asian neighbors and the rest of the international community, speak and act with prudence on military and security matters and avoid repeating past mistakes. To conclude, the Chinese government’s solemn commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War is fundamentally intended to remember history, honor the martyrs, cherish peace and open up the future. Hence it is to console the martyrs who sacrificed, to uphold world peace and to safeguard historical justice. It was the struggle of the Chinese rural communities, the CPC and people’s armies that resulted in immense sacrifice, with the Chinese people fighting a war of resistance that involved major battles, widespread destruction and the deaths of millions. It was the longest battle against foreign invasion in modern Chinese history, ending in a complete national liberation victory.
—The writer is President, the Centre for Knowledge and Public Policy, Regional Expert: China, CPEC, BRI & World Affairs.
