By Jun Sheng
Commemoration and military affairs are matters of vital importance to the nation. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. China will hold a series of major commemorative events. One of the highlights is a grand military parade at Beijing's Tian'anmen Square themed on commemorating the great victory and promoting the enduring spirit of the War of Resistance.
Japan, as the defeated country, has not only abandoned the long-standing practice of issuing a prime ministerial statement every decade to reflect on the war, but has instead criticized that "China's commemorative events have anti-Japanese overtones," even urging European and Asian nations through diplomatic channels not to attend. Some Japanese media outlets have gone further, accusing China's military parade of "showcasing military might" and hyping up the so-called "China threat," clamoring that Japan must strengthen its armed forces in response. Such rhetoric not only distorts facts and misleads the public but also reveals the deeply ingrained, misguided view of history that persists in Japan.
A military parade is a tribute to victory and a remembrance of history. On the main Eastern battlefield of WWII, the Chinese people fought a 14-year grueling war. They paid a heavy price, with 35 million casualties, to defeat the Japanese invaders. They completely shattered Japan's militarist and colonial plans to enslave China and secured the ultimate victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. This parade shows the historical truth that justice will prevail, peace will prevail, and people will prevail. It is self-evident and beyond reproach.
In fact, it is a common practice worldwide to commemorate World War II through parades and similar events. On the 60th, 70th, and 80th anniversaries of the Normandy Landings of the Allies, France held grand military parades. Since 1995, Russia has held annual Victory Day parades and related celebrations of the Great Patriotic War. Many other countries held parades on their national independence days to mark liberation. The UK not only organized a parade, an air show, and a concert at the Parliament to mark the 80th anniversary of the Anti-Fascist War victory in May, but also held a ceremony on August 15 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Britain’s Victory over Japan (VJ) Day. These events serve both as a remembrance of history and a celebration of victory.
The military parade is also a review of combat readiness and victory capability. Since modern times, China has painfully learned the cost of backwardness, repeated defeats, and humiliation. The brutal invasion by Japanese militarism once brought the Chinese nation to the brink of national collapse and extinction. The World Anti-Fascist War has shown that the weak suffer defeat, and a strong country must maintain a strong military. All the weapons and equipment on display in this parade are domestically produced and in active service. With high levels of informatization and intelligence, they fully demonstrate the Chinese military's ability to adapt to technological advances and evolving forms of warfare, and to win future battles. The military parade allows the Chinese people to remember deeply the lesson that "a nation cannot stand without defense, and the people cannot be secure without defense." It reinforces the concept that "our military is the people's military, and our national defense is the responsibility of every one of us." The Chinese military will carry forward and promote the great spiritual legacy of resisting aggression. They will showcase their unwavering determination and strong capabilities to safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests.
The military parade is not a show of force, nor is it meant to provoke confrontation. It aims to demonstrate China's determination to uphold the post-war international order and pursue the path of peaceful development. For a long time, Japan's stubborn right-wing forces have openly distorted and glorified their acts of aggression. They refuse to reflect on their responsibility and even portray themselves as victims of the war, brazenly glorifying militarism. The Japanese side has drastically increased its defense budget, constantly developing offensive weapons such as long-range missiles, going further down the dangerous path of military buildup. This underscores the necessity of upholding the correct historical perspective on WWII and jointly safeguarding international fairness and justice. The aim of China's military parade and other activities to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War is to bear history in mind, honor all those who laid down their lives, cherish peace and open up the future. Any nation that faces history honestly, learns from the past, and is truly committed to peaceful development, will neither make baseless criticisms nor harbor resentment. They will not distort, attack, or smear such commemorative acts.
Concealing historical facts and shirking responsibility cannot whitewash Japan. Refusing to admit guilt or express remorse prevents any progress toward the future. To view and treat history correctly is an important prerequisite for Japan's post-war return to the international community, the political foundation for Japan's ties with neighboring countries, and more importantly, a key measure for Japan's adherence to the path of peaceful development. Any statements by Japan that deny acts of aggression or whitewash its war of aggression and colonial rule inevitably provoke deep anger, strong condemnation, and heightened vigilance among the Chinese people and other peoples in Asia. Any attempt by Japan to expand its military will only deepen international concerns about a return to the evil path of militarism. We urge the Japanese side to reflect deeply upon the history of aggression, learn the lessons of history, act prudently in handling historical issues, make a clean break with militarism, stay committed to peaceful development, and win the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community.