Young French donor of anti-Japanese war photos tours Harbin's Museum of Unit 731, praising China's peace efforts

A young Frenchman, Marcus Detrez, who donated hundreds of photos collected by his grandfather during the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) to a Chinese museum, called for peace and justice at the start of his China tour in Harbin City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, on Thursday.

On Monday evening, Detrez handed over 618 historical photos collected by his grandfather, Roger-Pierre Laurens, at a ceremony held at the Chinese Embassy in France.

Many of these photos, taken between the 1930s and 1950s, document the Battle of Songhu in 1937. The Shanghai Songhu Memorial Hall for the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression has incorporated these historical photos into its permanent collection.

These images illustrate the atrocities committed by Japanese invaders against Chinese civilians and hold significant historical value for research on the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

Following the donation ceremony, Detrez and his companions, Zhong Haosong from China and Bastien Ratat from France, began their tour of China, with the first stop on August 7 at the Exhibition Hall of Evidence of Crimes Committed by Unit 731 of the Japanese Imperial Army in Harbin.

The museum, spanning nearly 10,000 square meters, houses approximately 100,000 pieces of historical artifacts and records. Designed in the form of a black box, it documents the horrific atrocities committed by the infamous Unit 731, known for its germ warfare experiments.

"We've been seeing like scientists who were supposed to heal the world and they've been studying for years just to do criminal acts and kill people, which is extremely sad and disgusting," said Detrez after visiting the museum.

"All the Chinese individuals who were killed - without names, only numbers - should have enjoyed happy lives. Yet, they were ruthlessly deprived of that right. This is a crime against humanity," said Zhong.

At the end of their visit, Detrez and his companions left a message on the board, writing "Peace and Justice" in Chinese, English, and French.

"We come to China in pursuit of peace. China is a nation that leads in promoting peace," said Ratat.

Detrez will continue their China tour, with plans to visit Beijing, Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Shanghai.

Young French donor of anti-Japanese war photos tours Harbin's Museum of Unit 731, praising China's peace efforts

China's coal production of enterprises above the designated size reached 4.83 billion tonnes in 2025, up 1.2 percent year on year and marking a new historical high, according to the China National Coal Association.

As the cornerstone of the country's energy security, coal output maintained steady growth throughout the year in 2025, providing strong support for stable energy supply.

Four major coal-producing regions -- Shanxi, Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia, and Xinjiang -- accounted for about 82 percent of national output in the past year, with their outbound shipments made up more than 95 percent of China's inter-provincial coal transfers, playing a critical role in ensuring reliable and stable coal supply nationwide.

Since the onset of winter, the demand for coal has climbed up as energy consumption for heating continues to increase. To cope with the seasonal surge, railway authorities across the country have optimized transport planning and dispatching to ensure smooth coal deliveries during the peak consumption period.

"China's national coal output has continued to show stable growth since winter began. In December alone, raw coal production of enterprises above the designated size reached 440 million tonnes, with average daily output of 14.1 million tonnes, remaining at a historical high. Coal production has increased steadily, while inventory levels have also stayed at a high level," said Zhang Hong, vice president of the China National Coal Association.

Industrial enterprises above designated size refer to those with an annual main business revenue of 20 million yuan (about 2.87 million U.S. dollars) or more.

China's 2025 coal production reaches 4.83 bln tonnes, up 1.2 pct