The world should jointly counteract war threats and improve global security governance, and should learn from history to avoid repeating mistakes.

Hong Kong lawmaker Joephy Chan Wing-yan made the remarks when speaking at the 61st session of the Human Rights Council of the United Nations on Thursday.

Chan criticized the tendency of certain countries to revert to the path of militarism, and called on all parties to take a firm stance and work together to curb the threat of war, as well as to improve global security governance.

She said that as Japan welcomes its first female prime minister at a time when military expansion is being actively debated in that country, this is a moment of moral reflection.

The 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre and the suffering of 400,000 Asian women who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II should never be forgotten, Chan said, adding that there is a distinct moral responsibility to study this history with compassion and empathy.

It is therefore deeply troubling when Japanese government officials visit the country’s Yasukuni Shrine, or when attempts are made to downplay these human rights atrocities, she said.

Contact the writer at atlasshao@chinadailyhk.com