Over 1,500 items on display to celebrate International Archives Day

More than 1,500 files and pictures are on display at the Beijing Municipal Archives until Friday to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War.

Collected from the provincial-level archives of Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei and Shanxi provinces, as well as the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, these documents feature the heroic struggle of northern China's military forces and ordinary people against foreign invasion and their unwavering fight for national independence.

Highlights of the exhibition include files analyzing frontline battle situation, strategies and guidelines for the combats, which demonstrate the pivotal role the Communist Party of China played during wartime, according to Wang Zhen, director of the exhibition department of the Beijing Municipal Archives.

"The history of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression is a grand epic composed of countless individual details. By presenting these historical archives, we reveal the immense scale and significance of this historical chapter through specific records," Wang said.

At the exhibition, Zhao Aimin, an elderly visitor, said it is particularly important that the younger generation learn more about this part of the history and contribute to the nation's further development.

The exhibition opened on Monday as part of the Beijing institution's celebration of the 18th International Archives Day — inaugurated by the International Council on Archives to raise awareness of archival heritage and the contribution of archivists around the world.