Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, Guo Haiyan /HANDOUT
August 15 is a special day. On this day 80 years ago, the Chinese people achieved the great victory of the War Against Japanese Aggression after arduous and heroic resistance, marking the full victory of the World Anti-Fascist War.
Eighty years have passed, and we commemorate the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War to remember history, honouring the martyrs, cherish peace and create the future.
The Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was the primary Eastern theatre of the World Anti-Fascist War, the first shot of which was fired in North-east China in September 1931.
The Chinese people’s struggle against Japanese aggression lasted for 14 years, eight years longer than the war in the European theatre and 10 years longer than the war in the Pacific theatre. In the war to defeat Japanese fascism, China suffered more than 35 million military and civilian casualties, made tremendous national sacrifice, served as the pillar of the primary Eastern theatre and made major contribution to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War.
The victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was China’s first full victory against foreign aggression in modern times since 1840. This great victory completely smashed the attempt of the Japanese militarists to colonise and enslave China, cleared China of the national humiliation of repeated failures in fending off foreign aggregation, reestablished China’s status as a major country in the world and charted the bright prospect of national rejuvenation.
The Chinese people also received widespread support from the international community, including Africa, in the war against Japanese aggression and will always remember the contribution of all peoples to the victory of the Chinese People’s War Against Japanese Aggression.
The Nuremberg International Military Tribunal and the International Military Tribunal for the Far East consigned the war criminals to the condemnation of history. Attempts to distort the truths of the World War II, deny the outcomes of the victory of the war and smear the historic contributions of China will invariably fail.
Around the end of World War II, the most important decision made by the international community was to establish the United Nations. The international system with the UN at its core is the key embodiment of the outcomes of the victory of the war, as well as the solid institutional protection to keep the human race away from the tragedy of world war.
What is worrying is that in recent years certain countries, on the pretext of ‘my country first’, blatantly violate the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. They selectively apply them and even attempt to change the basic principles of international law, placing their domestic laws above international law and international obligations. This runs against the key principles of international law, such as the sovereign equality of states and non-interference in internal affairs, and will seriously undermine the authority and effectiveness of the international system.
Eight decades have elapsed, yet unilateralism, hegemony and bullying are causing great harm. The human race once again finds itself at the crossroads between unity and division, dialogue and confrontation, win-win cooperation and zero-sum games. The more turbulent the international landscape becomes, the more steadfast we should be to uphold the authority of the United Nations, the international system with the UN at its core. We must uphold the international order based on international law as well as the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.
We should keep promoting the equitable and orderly multipolar world
and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalisation. This will
ensure all countries equally participate and enjoy their rights in the process
of multi-polarisation; it will enable all countries and people of all sectors
to enjoy the fruits of development through economic globalisation.
This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the recovery of Taiwan from Japanese occupation. Taiwan’s return to China is an important part of the victorious outcomes of World War II and the post-war international order. A series of documents with international legal effect, including the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation confirmed China's sovereignty over Taiwan.
The historical and legal facts are undeniable, and the authority of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 is unchallengeable. China will ultimately achieve national reunification. The historic tide is unstoppable, no matter how the situation on Taiwan evolves or in what way outside forces attempt to sabotage China’s sovereignty.
China highly commends Kenya for its consistent commitment to the One-China Principle, its resolute opposition to all forms of ‘Taiwan Independence’ and its solid support for all efforts by the Chinese government to achieve national reunification.
History is the best teacher and the best dose of sobriety. We shall take history as a mirror, strengthen our resolve to safeguard peace, draw wisdom and strength from the profound lessons of World War II and the great victory in the World Anti-Fascist War, resolutely oppose hegemony and power politics of all forms and work together to create a better future for the human race.
The writer is the Chinese ambassador to Kenya
