War of resistance museum to enhance HK's patriotic education

A new museum highlighting the history of the war of resistance was inaugurated in Hong Kong on Tuesday, becoming a pivotal education hub for Hong Kong residents to explore the past of the Chinese nation and carry forward the patriotic spirit of its heroes.

The Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence, which is located in Shau Kei Wan and converted from the original coastal defense museum, opens to the public on Wednesday, with its inaugural thematic exhibition narrating the tactics of Hong Kong fighters.

Tuesday also marks the Victory Day of Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. During the inauguration ceremony, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said that the spirit of the Chinese people demonstrated during wartime will always inspire the nation to overcome difficulties and strive for its great rejuvenation.

Lee added that the museum will be an important site for patriotic education, enriching public awareness of history, especially among young people.

Lee hoped that the education system and other sectors of society can actively organize students and the general public to visit the museum, collectively commemorating history.

The inaugural thematic exhibition "Brothers in Arms: War of Resistance Activities of the East River Column in Shenzhen and Hong Kong" lasts from Wednesday to next summer, with a focus on narrating Shenzhen and Hong Kong people's heroic fighting against Japanese invaders with rich content and exhibits, including oral history and interview clips with veterans.

Particularly, it sheds light on the Hong Kong Independent Battalion of the Dong Jiang Column — a guerrilla force tasked by the Communist Party of China to undertake anti-Japanese campaigns during World War II.

Highlighted exhibits and images of the exhibition come from both Hong Kong and Shenzhen, including a commemorative medal of the 70th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, which was awarded by the central government in 2015.

To help prepare other thematic exhibitions related to the war of resistance, the museum also launched a campaign to encourage the public to donate historical relics and photos related to the war. The collection period extends from Tuesday to August 2025.

In addition to the exhibition, the museum will also launch a series of programs to promote patriotic education, including lectures, field trips and workshops, as well as a flag-raising ceremony and drill performance on National Day.

On Tuesday, senior Hong Kong government officials and representatives of various sectors also attended an official ceremony to commemorate the Victory Day of Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

The National People's Congress designated Sept 3 as Victory Day of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in 2014, and the HKSAR government has been hosting official commemorative activities in the SAR correspondingly since then.