Belarusian president stresses advocating correct historical view on World War II

China

Belarusian president stresses advocating correct historical view on World War II

2025-08-30 12:05 Last Updated At：16:37

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stressed advocating a correct historical view on World War II before attending China's V-Day commemorations in Beijing in an interview with the China Media Group (CMG) released on Friday.

Lukashenko will attend China's massive military parade on Sept. 3 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

Lukaschenko, who was present at China's commemorations marking the 70th anniversary of the victory in 2015, said he looks forward to witnessing China's national defense achievements over the past decade.

"I am looking forward to witnessing China's national defense achievements and progress over the past decade. When I attended the military parade back in 2015, I saw China's latest advanced military equipment at that time. Those were simply amazing! China's remarkable achievements were proved not only by the unique and spectacular format of the military parade, but also by the showcased military equipment. And my conclusion from the observation of those was that China has the ability to defend its territory. I am very much looking forward to witnessing the achievements displayed by your country and your people in this year's military parade," said Lukaschenko in the interview.

The Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was fought from 1931 to 1945. It was the first to break out and the longest-running campaign in the World Anti-Fascist War. The war resulted in over 35 million Chinese military and civilian casualties.

In the main Eastern battlefield of the global fight against fascism, China's resistance effort was decisive in defeating Japanese fascism and supporting other fronts in Europe and Asia.

People of China and Belarus once fought shoulder to shoulder in the World Anti-Fascist War.

Lukaschenko stressed the significance of advocating the correct historical view on World War II and defending its victorious outcomes.

"Japanese militarists carried out massacre and arbitrarily slaughtered civilians during the war. Such a historical tragedy must never be repeated. The Chinese nation is the one that remembers the history. Frankly speaking, we need to learn from China on how to preserve these memories and how to protect these memories. Belarus has achieved results in this regard, and none of our thousands of monuments was abandoned. We remember everything that happened in Belarus during the war," said Lukaschenko.

"As long as we remember history, the tragedies will never repeat themselves. But if we choose to forget, the catastrophes will surely return. Therefore, we, together with the Chinese people and China, are safeguarding this sacred memory of victory, which is indeed a victory of great significance for global development. Otherwise, the world's development trajectory would completely change, and we would be on entirely different paths and follow totally different standards. But as we have jointly worked to safeguard peace, China, our country and other countries can all live in the existing order and achieve maximum development," said the president.

Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media

A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.

Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.

In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.

"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.

Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.

In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.

"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.

By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.

After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.

"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.

Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.

As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.