Int'l scholars underscore China's contribution to World Anti-Fascist War

International scholars at a symposium in Beijing on Saturday called for greater global recognition of China's contribution to the victory in World War II as part of efforts to prevent the repetition of history.

The event, held at Peking University, marked the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War and drew about 150 participants, including scholars from China and overseas, media representatives, and university faculty and students.

It also marked the 120th anniversary of the birth of American journalist Edgar Snow.

Snow is known for his writings on the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese Communist revolution in the 1930s, with his best-known work being the book "Red Star Over China", a detailed account of the Long March led by the CPC.

He was among the many international friends who came to China during wartime, reporting on the fierce battles, the hardships of the Chinese people, and the truth about China and the CPC.

"And so, it's very important to have these types of events to remember history and to see what happened and try to help educate more people about this important history, so we don't have this happen again in the future," said Eric Foster, a nephew of Helen Foster Snow, Edgar Snow's wife.

The event reviewed the contributions of foreign friends in reporting on the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and discussed how to better tell China's stories today to carry forward the spirit of the War of Resistance.

"We had a lot of friendly international exchanges during wartime and should pass down our international friends' internationalist spirit. As the old saying goes, 'Amity between people holds the key to sound state-to-state relations,' and if we continue to have more people-to-people exchanges, it will help promote state-to-state relations," said Michael Crook, president of the International Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Industrial Cooperatives.

Mark Levine, a professor at Minzu University of China, said that China's contribution to the global Anti-Fascist War should be better known worldwide, and that, to date, there remains considerable confusion about China.

"China made very important contribution to the Anti-Fascist War along with various other countries. I've been invited to many media conferences where there are international media who come from all over the world, and I spent a lot of time talking to them about what China is really like, because there is a tremendous amount of confusion in many countries, so I need to share the reality of that," he said.

The symposium also saw the launch of several initiatives, including the Edgar Snow International Scholars Program, the International Friends Studios Database, and the "New Era Snow" Global Media Initiative.

Int'l scholars underscore China's contribution to World Anti-Fascist War

Int'l scholars underscore China's contribution to World Anti-Fascist War

Chicago policymakers have introduced measures to increase housing supply, in a move that local activists and construction industry stakeholders have hailed as key to easing affordability pressures on residents.

According to the city's 2025 annual report on homelessness, Chicago is facing its largest gap in affordable and available housing in a decade, with the annual Point-in-Time (PIT) Count estimating that 7,452 people were experiencing homelessness, either in shelters or unsheltered locations, on January 23, 2025.

Steven Vance, a social worker in Chicago, said policies that previously curbed the city's housing supply have pushed up rent costs amid demographic changes.

"Households are declining in size, and that means we need more homes, and I thought it was strange that we would artificially restrict how many homes could get built in Chicago. Right now in Chicago, we have one of the highest rent growths, compared year to year in the country, and so now is a pivotal time to allow more housing," he said.

To address the challenge, Chicago has introduced zoning and land-use reforms, including the Additional Dwelling Units (ADU) Ordinance, aimed at increasing residential density and expanding housing supply.

The ordinance effectively expands housing access across the city by allowing ADUs in attics, basements, and accessory buildings, easing the rent burden and creating more budget-friendly housing options.

"In December 2020, City Council adopted an ordinance that would legalize ADUs in five pilot areas. (With ADU,) rents will maybe not always come down, but they will not climb as quickly as they are now if we have more housing options," he said.

The construction sector in the city has welcomed the policy change, with builders jumping on the opportunity to create new structures. For many in the industry, boosting housing supply is not just about doing business, but about addressing the issue of affordability as Chicago residents themselves.

"The housing market in Chicago has been impacted by the ADU program, to me, in a really big way. It's enabled a lot more rental projects to be constructed. I want there to be more housing in Chicago. I think there is a need for that, and I think there's also a need for responsible development that maintains the character of the neighborhood. Affordable housing to me is a really important issue, and to me, the biggest denominator in affordable housing is the lack of supply. The best route to affordable housing is to have an influx of housing," said Nick Serra, a construction professional.

Chicago expands housing supply to ease affordability pressure