PLA Newspaper stresses remembering war history for justice

BEIJING - The flagship newspaper of the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) ran a commentary stressing remembrance of the history of WWII to better safeguard world peace and justice.

The commentary, published under the byline of Tan Lin, ran in the PLA Daily on Monday, the 86th anniversary of the "Sept. 18 Incident," which marked the beginning of Japan's invasion of China.

Activities and events held by China to commemorate the anniversary are meant to remind people of the history of aggression by Japanese militarists and the Chinese people's suffering as well as the 14-year Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, according to the article.

Chinese people will always remember the compatriots slaughtered in the war, the war heroes and martyrs as well as the Chinese people's unyielding struggle against the aggressors, it said.

Remembrance of the war is not intended to carry on hatred but to caution the world against repeating the past tragedies and to better safeguard world peace, it said.

The commentary criticized the historical "amnesia" of some Japanese political organizations and politicians, which has resulted in the glossing over of history in textbooks, visiting or sending ritual offerings to the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine, and denial of the Nanjing Massacre, "comfort women" and Japan's war responsibility by right-wing forces.

The frivolous attitude of some Chinese people toward wartime history is also alarming, the commentary said.

Last month, two Chinese tourists were reportedly detained for performing Nazi salutes in Germany. Also in August, reports exposed two cases of Chinese dressing in Japanese wartime military uniforms and posing at public sites.

Only by remembering history and pain can people draw lessons from history and make progress in upholding justice, the article said.

The article further called for efforts to consolidate national defense and build a strong army for the Chinese nation's survival and security.

Since spring, Chinese textbooks have included the phrase "14-year Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression," rather than "eight-year," as an official acknowledgment that Japan invaded northeast China on Sept. 18, 1931, marking the start of the war.