Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday warned that the world was facing a choice between peace or war when he addressed the commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of the Victory in Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War in Beijing.
Below is Jinping’s full speech.
BY XI JINPING
Today, we gather here to solemnly commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
It is an occasion for us to remember history, honoUr fallen heroes, cherish peace, and create a better future.
On behalf of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the National People’s Congress, the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and the Central Military Commission, I would like to pay high tribute to our veterans, soldiers, patriots, and military officers who fought in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and to the Chinese nationals from home and abroad who made significant contributions to our historic victory.
I would also like to express my sincere thanks to foreign governments and international friends, who supported and assisted the Chinese people in resisting aggression.
I also extend a warm welcome to our guests from around the world, who are with us today.
The Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was a great war fought with tenacity and valour.
Under the banner of the National United Front Against Japanese Aggression established on the initiative of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese people stood up to fight the formidable enemy with an iron will, and forged a great wall of flesh and blood to defend our nation, and ultimately achieved the first complete victory in resisting foreign aggression in China’s modern history.
The Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was an important part of the World Anti-Fascist War.
With huge national sacrifice, the Chinese people made significant contributions to saving human civilisation and safeguarding world peace.
History cautions us that all of humanity shares weal and woe. Only when all nations treat each other as equals, coexist in peace, and support each other can we uphold common security, eradicate the root causes of war, and prevent the recurrence of historical tragedies.
The Chinese nation is a great nation that is never intimidated by any bullies and always values independence and self-reliance and forges ahead.
In the past, when faced with critical struggles between good and evil, light and darkness, progress and reaction, the Chinese people rallied together in defiance and fought for the survival of the country, for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and for the justice of all humanity.
Today, humanity is once again faced with choices between peace and war, dialogue and confrontation, and win-win cooperation and a zero-sum game.
The Chinese people firmly stand on the right side of history and the progress of human civilisation.
We will remain committed to the path of peaceful development and join hands with all peoples around the world in building a community with a shared future for humanity.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army has been, and will always be, the heroic armed forces that the party and the people can fully trust and rely on.
All service members should faithfully perform their sacred duties, speed up the building of a world-class military, and resolutely safeguard China’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, providing strategic support for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and making even greater contributions to the peace and development of the world.
History carries the legacy of the past and inspires the future.
On a new journey in a new era, the Chinese people of all ethnic groups should, under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China, uphold Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, the Scientific Outlook on Development, and fully implement the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era.
We should stay firmly on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, inherit and carry forward the great spirit of the War of Resistance, press ahead with resolve and enterprise and advance in unity the great cause of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and realising the great national rejuvenation through China’s modernisation.
The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is unstoppable! The noble cause of peace and development of humanity will surely prevail!