China's deputy permanent representative to the UN on Wednesday urged the international community to set aside ideological prejudices and geopolitical calculations in the fight against terrorism, calling for a united front to combat the growing global threat.
Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting on counterterrorism, Geng Shuang, the representative, warned that amid escalating global instability and recurring regional crises worldwide, frequent and deadly terrorist attacks are inflicting mounting human and societal costs.
"As the international situation becomes increasingly unstable and hotspot issues continue to emerge, the threat of terrorism is resurging and spreading globally. Major terrorist attacks are occurring frequently, causing growing harm and far-reaching impacts. The international community should strengthen unity and cooperation, abandon ideological biases and geopolitical calculations, and build a solid counterterrorism united front to jointly combat all forms of terrorism," said Geng.
He highlighted recent developments in Syria, where terrorist groups such as the Islamic State (ISIS) and the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) have exploited the chaos to expand their presence. Foreign terrorist fighters based in Syria continue to move across borders, posing a serious threat to regional security.
"The international community should urge the Syrian interim authorities to earnestly fulfill their counterterrorism obligations and resolutely crack down on all terrorist organizations listed by the UN Security Council, including the ISIS and the ETIM," said Geng.
Citing UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' report, Geng pointed to growing collusion among terrorist organizations in Afghanistan and South Asia, including the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), al-Qaeda, ETIM, the Pakistani Taliban, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and its affiliate, the Majeed Brigade. These groups remain active and have orchestrated a series of severe terrorist attacks in the region.
"China calls on the Afghan interim government to intensify its counterterrorism efforts and completely eliminate all terrorist forces operating in Afghanistan. We urge regional countries to enhance mutual political trust and actively utilize platforms such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to strengthen practical cooperation in the field of counterterrorism," said Geng.
He underscored that China firmly opposes all forms of terrorism, while noting that the country has long been committed to the Global Security Initiative, providing bilateral and multilateral support to help developing countries, especially in Africa, to strengthen their counterterrorism capabilities.
China stands ready to continue working with all parties to advance the global counterterrorism cause and make positive contributions toward building a world of lasting peace and universal security, said the Chinese envoy.
China calls for international unity in counterterrorism
A civil group in Japan held a study session on Saturday to tell the historical truth about the Nanjing Massacre and called on the Japanese government and society to reflect on history and avoid repeating the tragedy of war of aggression.
Saturday marks China's 12th National Memorial Day for the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre which took place when Japanese troops occupied the then-Chinese capital on Dec 13, 1937, killing approximately 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers in one of the most barbaric episodes of WWII over the course of six weeks.
"Japan's army committed a brutal atrocity -- the Nanjing Massacre 88 years ago in 1937. Today, on this important day, let us observe a moment of silence for 30 seconds for the victims," said an organizer of the study session.
This study session was led by Jomaru Yoichi, a former journalist with the Asahi Shimbun, a Japanese daily newspaper. Yoichi compiled numerous articles published in Japanese newspapers after the Nanjing Massacre. Among them, an article published on December 24, 1937 detailed the atrocities committed by the invading Japanese army in China.
"Around 08:00, about 400-500 defeated Chinese soldiers fled. The Japanese soldiers drove them into houses and bamboo groves, setting fires on all sides. Many of them were driven out by thick smokes. The Japanese soldiers killed them one by one with rifles and bayonets. The Japanese soldiers lost track of how many they had stabbed and killed all of them by 16:00," Yoichi recounted.
Many Japanese citizens said the Japanese government and society must confront the truth of history, and it's important to disseminate accurate historical information in contemporary Japan.
"The Nanjing Massacre is a real incident. The remarks that 'The Nanjing Massacre didn't exist' or 'The Japanese army was powerful and righteous' ignore historical evidence and deny the facts outright. I believe these are all attempts to hide the truth of history. I think these are all wrong. Facts are facts, and we must face history squarely," said a participant at the study session.
"I used to teach history in high school. In 1988, I spent two weeks in China and visited for the first time the site documenting the war crimes of the invading Japanese army. On the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, the social atmosphere in Japan is gradually becoming strange. We must seriously examine Japan's past history, and disseminating accurate history has become even more important," said another participant.
Some expressed their concern that the Japanese government's historical revisionism, its attempt to cover up the truth of history, and its path towards military expansion will prevent Japan from facing the future.
"The fact that the Japanese army's war of aggression is not taught in social studies or history courses. I have no choice but to learn this myself even now at my age. The idea of upholding the pacifist constitution is becoming increasingly strong. Current Japanese politicians are pursuing a military expansion strategy, which I find incomprehensible," said another participant.
In 2014, China's top legislature designated December 13 as a national memorial day for the massacre victims.
Japanese civil group calls for remembrance of Nanjing Massacre victims
