Xi Story: Bearing history in mind for better future

BEIJING -- During an inspection tour of Shanxi province in North China, President Xi Jinping on Monday visited a memorial hall commemorating a significant campaign during the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

The Hundred-Regiment Campaign took place behind enemy lines in northern China from August 1940 to January 1941 during the resistance war. It was a major victory achieved at a time when China's resistance against Japanese aggression was in difficulty and the atmosphere of compromise and surrender was palpable.

Though silent, the exhibits in the memorial hall spoke loudly of the brutality of the Japanese aggressors, recording the fierce and arduous war. Xi listened attentively to the introductions -- and paused from time to time to take a closer look.

Before visiting the memorial hall, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, laid a floral basket in front of a towering monument in tribute to the martyrs of this major campaign.

With 35 million casualties, the Chinese people defeated Japanese aggressors with their lives and blood, Xi once said, stressing that China had made a significant contribution to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War.

Monday's visit held special significance, as it coincided with the anniversary of the July 7th Incident, also known as the Lugou Bridge Incident, which occurred in 1937 and marked the beginning of China's whole-nation resistance against Japanese aggression, according to Hao Xueting, a local historian and writer who has studied the resistance war for over three decades.

"The visit showed that the general secretary attaches great importance to the history of the resistance war," Hao said.

Since assuming the Party's top post in 2012, Xi has attended events commemorating whole-nation resistance against Japanese aggression and state memorial ceremonies for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre, and visited multiple memorial halls to reflect on this part of history and pool strength for forging ahead.

"The best way to honor the heroes who gave their lives to uphold freedom, justice and peace, and mourn the loss of innocent lives brutally taken during the war is to make sure that this historical tragedy will never repeat itself," Xi conveyed this message in his address 10 years ago at the ceremony commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory in the resistance war and the World Anti-Fascist War.

As 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the victory, Xi's visit to the memorial hall again conveys determination to remember history, cherish peace and strive for a better future.

After viewing the exhibits, Xi had warm conversations with students and staff at the memorial hall, which is located atop Shinao Mountain in the Taihang Mountains.

"Grandpa Xi told us what the Hundred-Regiment Campaign was all about, and how the life we have today was built on the countless martyrs who sacrificed their lives and shed their blood," recalled Wang Yitong, a student at a local primary school.

"What we learned from Grandpa Xi is not just history but also the necessity to strive for progress. In peace time, we should bear history in mind and cherish our present lives," said Chen Mingyue, a senior high student.

"If the past is not forgotten, it can serve as a guide for the future," Xi told the young students, calling on them to strive to be the backbone of the nation, build a strong country and contribute to world peace.