New war memorials honor sacrifices home, abroad

China has released its fourth list of newly designated memorial facilities and historical sites to commemorate victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45), while also honoring the contributions of overseas Chinese and international anti-fascist forces, officials said on Sunday.

On Friday, authorities released the list of 34 national-level memorial facilities and sites dedicated to the war, along with the fourth batch of 43 renowned heroes, martyrs and heroic groups.

Senior officials from the Ministry of Veterans Affairs and the National Cultural Heritage Administration introduced the lists and provided updates on restoration and protection efforts at a news conference on Sunday morning.

The latest designations underscore the Communist Party of China's pivotal role in leading the resistance against Japanese forces and reflect how Chinese people fought alongside international antifascist forces. They also honor sacrifices made on the battlefield and pay tribute to the contributions of overseas Chinese, according to Ma Feixiong, vice-minister of veterans affairs.

Among the sites included are a memorial park in Shandan county, Gansu province, dedicated to New Zealand-born writer Rewi Alley and British journalist George Aylwin Hogg — both of whom supported China during the war — as well as the Red Army East Expedition Memorial Hall in Shilou county, Shanxi province.

Four of the newly designated national-level memorial facilities and sites are located outside the Chinese mainland, in countries such as the Philippines and Myanmar. One example is a monument in Myitkyina, northern Myanmar, dedicated to soldiers of the Chinese Expeditionary Force who fell in battle during World War II.

Such memorial facilities, officials said, testify to the unity of compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, as well as overseas Chinese, who joined the fight against the Japanese invasion under the banner of the national united front.

China has established more than 100 overseas memorial facilities and sites related to the war — including more than 30 in countries such as Myanmar, India, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and Russia, and more than 80 in Hong Kong and Macao.

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

Sun Deli, deputy administrator of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, highlighted the role of such sites in patriotic education, noting that more than 500 themed exhibitions on the war are held annually across the country, attracting more than 60 million visitors. Ninety-six memorial sites and facilities have been designated as national demonstration bases for patriotic education.

From July to September, about 1,000 themed exhibitions were launched nationwide to strengthen the educational and inspirational role of cultural relics from the war.

In September, a special exhibition themed International Friends and China's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression opened alongside a permanent exhibition dedicated to the Flying Tigers, volunteer pilots from the United States who supported China. Additional events such as forums, touring speeches and storytelling competitions are also planned.

China has more than 10,000 immovable cultural relics and more than 500,000 movable relics related to the war, Sun said. He called them invaluable and irreplaceable pieces of heritage, stressing the importance of preservation.

More than 3,000 conservation projects have been completed nationwide, covering site restoration, exhibition upgrades and environmental improvements. Hazards at major sites have been addressed, and the overall condition of cultural relics has improved, according to Sun.