Testament to spirit, resilience of Chinese people: China Daily editorial

The world is turning its eyes to Beijing on Wednesday, as China is staging a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

This event, of profound political and historical significance, is not merely a commemoration of past triumphs but a reminder of the enduring spirit and resilience of the Chinese people. A display of national pride and a testament to the sacrifices made by the countless heroes who fought for justice and peace, the parade showcases China's readiness to face contemporary challenges with confidence and strength, and reflects the country's commitment to safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity and its capability to contribute to global peace.

At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit, held in China's northern port city of Tianjin on Sunday and Monday, the leaders of the member countries of the organization jointly issued a declaration on the victory won in the war against fascism and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations.

As stated in the declaration, the World Anti-Fascist War brought great suffering and calamity to humanity, causing the deaths of millions of people. That war, launched by fascist forces with the intention of seeking monopolistic control of the entire world, deprived other countries and peoples of their freedom, their national identity, people's personal identity, and their traditional values.

The Chinese people suffered more than any other as the war against Japanese aggression lasted 14 years (1931-45), causing over 35 million casualties and vast swaths of scorched earth.

The victory against fascism was won because of the dedication of people worldwide who united to ensure that the fascist forces did not prevail.

Yet what China and its people did during this period of history is not fully acknowledged and it is even relegated to the periphery in Western narratives of the war. The battlefields in China constituted an important theater in the war, and the Chinese people's tenacious resistance against the invading Japanese forces is a core part of the World Anti-Fascist War, and should be recognized as such.

The contribution China made to the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War should assume its rightful place in history. This explains why it is necessary for China to organize activities to mark the victory anniversary.

From its own history in the more than a century when it was humiliated by the invasions of foreign powers, China well knows how important it is to have a strong military for its security and peaceful development.

The great changes taking place in the international situation also mean that China as a major country must do its bit for global development and world peace, and that obligates it to have a strong military able to shoulder its peacekeeping responsibilities. This is borne out by it contributing the largest number of UN peacekeepers among all the UN Security Council members.

China as a major champion of the UN Charter and advocate for a fair and just framework for global governance always upholds the UN as the center of the global system. Just as the declaration of the SCO stated, the founding of the United Nations was one of the most important fruits of the victory in the war against fascism. The UN has long been a cornerstone of international relations, and has established various models of cooperation in a wide range of fields such as the protection of world peace and security, global social and economic development and human rights progress.

China always stands on the right side of justice and strives to promote global development and world peace. Its Victory Day military parade is not a display of China's military muscles per se, and it is certainly not directed at any country; China is not militaristic and neither are its people. Instead, the military parade is meant to tell the world that China will never forget those who lost their lives during that war and will remember that part of history forever in order to do its bit for the protection of world peace and to promote the role of the UN in maintaining a fair and just world order.

Wednesday's grand ceremony is therefore both a tribute to the past and a beacon of hope for the future. It serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made for national independence and freedom, and is a celebration of the enduring spirit that continues to guide China toward a future of peace, prosperity and global harmony.