On Wednesday, Beijing came alive with a powerful reminder that history's lessons are never far from today's headlines. Global leaders gathered on the Chinese mainland to mark the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War—an event that echoed across continents.
General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping opened the commemoration with a call to "remember history, honor the fallen, cherish peace, and shape the future." It was a message aimed squarely at an era of shifting alliances, rising tensions, and the fraying threads of multilateral cooperation.
From sacrifice to solidarity
World War II reshaped the globe. On the eastern front alone, China endured a 14-year struggle that cost over 35 million lives, from urban centers like Nanjing to rural regions where guerrilla fighters disrupted Japanese advances. Yet as Xi noted, the triumph of 1945 "wasn't won by one nation alone—it belongs to all who resisted tyranny."
The gathering made clear that peace isn't a passive inheritance but an active commitment. Delegations from countries that have faced colonialism and conflict—Cambodia, Laos, Zimbabwe and beyond—stood shoulder to shoulder, affirming that human dignity and collective security must rise above coercion or conquest.
Living bridges across generations
Before the main ceremony, leaders greeted six veterans aged over 90. Their medals, worn close to their hearts, symbolized decades of resilience. In their presence, a simple truth resonated: safeguarding peace requires remembering those who sacrificed everything.
For young global citizens tuning in from G20 cities, the event was more than a historical lesson. It was a call to action: to champion the rules-based order born from the United Nations, foster international dialogue and ensure that "never again" isn't just a slogan, but a shared commitment.
As the world confronts new challenges—from unilateral power plays to crises that demand multilateral solutions—the 80th anniversary gathering in Beijing serves as a timely reminder: our future hinges on how we remember the past.
Reference(s):
Why the world must remember: To forget history is to risk repeating it
cgtn.com
