V-Day parade pays tribute to Chinese people’s struggles during the War of Resistance, showcases nation’s ability to safeguard peace 

As the world watched China marking Victory Day, the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War, on Sept 3, the nation sent out a clear message that it is committed to adhering to peaceful development while retaining the capacity to resolutely safeguard its national sovereignty, security and development interests.

As part of the V-Day commemorations, a massive military parade was held in Beijing’s Tian’anmen Square in the morning. 

President Xi Jinping oversaw the 70-minute parade and reviewed the troops. Standing beside him on the Tian’anmen Rostrum were Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un, the top leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, along with more than 20 other foreign leaders including Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Representatives of prominent individuals who had supported China’s fight in World War II, or their family members, were also among those invited to the event.

While addressing the grand gathering ahead of the parade, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said the commemorations aim to remember history, honor martyrs, cherish peace and strive for a better future.

He said that the war of resistance — both arduous and great — was China’s first complete victory against foreign aggression in modern times.

Noting that the victory was achieved under a national united front against Japanese aggression advocated by the CPC, Xi said that the Chinese people made a major contribution to the salvation of human civilization and the defense of world peace with immense sacrifice in the war, a significant part of the World Anti-Fascist War.

History has given us a lesson that only when nations across the world treat each other as equals, live in harmony and mutually support one another can common security be safeguarded, the root cause of war eliminated, and historical tragedies prevented from recurring, he said.

Noting that humanity is once again faced with a choice of peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, and win-win outcomes or zero-sum games, Xi said that the Chinese people will stand firmly on the right side of history and on the side of human progress, adhere to the path of peaceful development, and join hands with the rest of the world to build a community with a shared future for humanity.

He called on the Chinese people of all ethnic groups to stay united and work hard under the strong leadership of the CPC to build a strong country and advance national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization.

The rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is unstoppable, and the noble cause of human peace and development will surely triumph, he said.

Xi urged the People’s Liberation Army to build itself into a world-class force and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, and provide strategic support for national rejuvenation and make greater contributions to world peace and development.

Japan officially surrendered on Sept 2, 1945, by signing the Instrument of Surrender. China designated that as its Victory Day.

The country tied down and struck over half of Japan’s overseas forces, at the cost of 35 million military and civilian casualties, accounting for around one-third of all casualties in World War II worldwide.

At the parade on Sept 3, more than 10,000 military personnel, along with over 100 aircraft and hundreds of ground armaments, were arranged into 45 formations and echelons according to a wartime command system, Xinhua News Agency reported. Most of the PLA’s new system of services and arms were on display for the first time.

The advanced armaments on display included unmanned intelligence and counter-unmanned equipment, hypersonic missiles, directed-energy weapons, electronic jamming systems and strategic weaponry capable of global strikes.

Among them were land-, sea- and air-based strategic weapons as the nuclear triad, including JingLei-1 air-based long-range missile, JuLang-3 submarine-launched intercontinental missile, DongFeng-61 land-based intercontinental missile and new type DongFeng-31 land-based intercontinental missile.

The weapons are considered China’s strategic “ace” power to safeguard the country’s sovereignty and national dignity.

Chinese soldiers who have participated in United Nations peacekeeping operations made their first appearance in a V-Day parade.

Eighty years after the end of World War II, the global peace deficit is increasing markedly due to geopolitical conflicts, hegemony and unilateralism, among other challenges. Humanity now stands at a crossroads, encountering a stark choice between dialogue or confrontation, win-win cooperation or zero-sum games, observers said.

Speaking at the V-Day reception at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing later in the day on Sept 3, Xi said justice, light and progress will surely triumph over evil, darkness and reactionary forces.

Humanity lives on the same planet and should work together and coexist harmoniously, never returning to the law of the jungle where the strong prey on the weak, he said.

Xi called for firmly upholding international fairness and justice, staying committed to the path of peaceful development, and making unremitting efforts to improve people’s well-being all the time.

Noting that Chinese modernization is on a path of peaceful development, he assured the world that China will always be a force for peace, stability and progress in the world.

“We sincerely hope that all countries will learn from history, cherish peace, and work together to advance modernization to create a better future for humanity,” he said.

Song Zhiyong, a professor at Nankai University’s Japan Institute, said that as one of the principal founders of the international anti-fascist united front, China has demonstrated to the international community that it is always a founder, builder and staunch defender of the post-war international order.

Contact the writer at caodesheng@chinadaily.com.cn