China releases fourth list of war memorials, honoring domestic and overseas contributions

China has released the fourth list of newly designated memorial facilities and historical sites to commemorate the Chinese people's 14-year arduous war against Japanese aggression, honoring the contributions of overseas Chinese and international anti-fascist forces, noted officials at a news conference on Sunday.

The list was released on Friday listing 34 national-level memorial facilities and sites dedicated to the War of Resistance, along with the fourth batch of 43 renowned heroes, martyrs and heroic groups.

Senior officials from the National Cultural Heritage Administration and the Ministry of Veterans Affairs introduced the lists and updated on the restoration and protection of such memorial facilities, sites and relics.

The list demonstrates the pivotal role of the Communist Party of China in the nation's resistance against Japanese aggression. It reflects how the Chinese people fought alongside international anti-fascist forces, acknowledges the immense sacrifices on both frontal and rear battlefields, and honors the contributions of overseas Chinese and international supporters, according to Ma Feixiong, vice-minister of Veterans Affairs.

Also included in the fourth list are four national-level memorial facilities and sites located outside the Chinese mainland, in countries such as the Philippines and Myanmar.

Such memorial facilities bear witness to the fact that, under the banner of the national united front against Japanese aggression, compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, as well as overseas Chinese, joined hands without hesitation to resist the invasion and ultimately achieve victory, as noted by Li Jingxian, an official from the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, at the news conference.

China has established over 100 overseas memorial facilities and sites related to the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, with more than 30 located in countries including Myanmar, India, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and Russia, and over 80 in Hong Kong and Macao.

From 2014 to 2020, China released three batches of similar lists, recognizing a total of 260 national-level memorial facilities and sites, along with 1,085 heroes, martyrs, and heroic groups.