Military band, choir perform classic songs at V-Day gathering

A joint military band of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China and a choir performed classic songs at a grand commemoration marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War in Beijing on Wednesday.

Among the tunes familiar to the Chinese people was "Along the Songhua River", a song depicting the plight of people in northeast China after the September 18 incident in 1931, which marked the start of the Japanese invasion of China. It expressed grief of displaced people after losing their loved one. It also conveys the hope to regain their homeland. The song ignited the anti-Japanese sentiment across China.

The song "On the Taihang Mountains" depicts soldiers' will to destroy the Japanese invaders. The lyric "From where the enemy attacks, we will annihilate them all, right there" highlights the iron will of the Chinese soldiers and civilians to act as the real impenetrable stronghold. The Taihang mountain range in north China was a strategic front in the War of Resistance.

"Defending the Yellow River," another song played at the commemorations, is the seventh movement of the "Yellow River Cantata". The Yellow River is also called the "Mother River" of the Chinese nation. The Cantata picks the Yellow River as the symbol of the nation's strength and unyielding spirit of resistance. It highlights Chinese people's courage and resolution to "defend the Yellow River, the motherland, and the whole nation."

"Without the Communist Party, There Would Be No New China," is a song known by almost every household in China. Its melody is based on a folk song in north China's Hebei Province. This song demonstrates the people's solid support for the Communist Party of China (CPC) and their firm belief in the Party's leadership. With simple and straightforward lyrics, it highlights people's trust in the CPC and their strong belief that only the CPC can lead them to win independence and liberation.

The joint military band participating in Wednesday's event, which consists of more than 1,000 members, is the largest of its kind in military parades since the founding of the People's Republic of China.

The formation of the band highlights the theme of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression -- the 14 rows of the band symbolize the 14 years of the war, while the 80 buglers in the front signify the 80th anniversary of the war's victory.

Military band, choir perform classic songs at V-Day gathering

Nicaragua's co-foreign minister Valdrack Jaentschke has warned that militarism must never be allowed to rise again, as Japan's recent moves to lift its arms export ban and revise the pacifist Constitution continue to draw international concern.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Tokyo Trials, where Japan's Class-A war criminals from World War II were brought to justice.

In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Valdrack Jaentschke voiced his concern that today's world order is being undermined by interventionism and other challenges.

"It is necessary for us to remember that after the end of World War II, countries worked hard to build a new international order based on international law. However, regrettably, more than 80 years later, we are seeing that this once explored and attempted order is being challenged by interventionism, a confrontational mindset, and tendencies like 'might makes right.' These are precisely the conditions that gave rise to fascism and militarism in the past, which ultimately led to the tragedy of World War II," he said.

He said the international community has a responsibility to pursue a new international order -- one fundamentally grounded in peace.

"Looking back at the history more than eight decades ago and comparing it with today's reality, it is our responsibility to recognize that the world should, and must, build a new international order that is more just, fairer, rooted in international law, based on a logic of mutual benefit and shared success, and fundamentally grounded in peace," said the minister.

"Today, as we revisit the Tokyo Trials, it is meant to remind the world that such a tragedy must never be repeated -- and that we must do everything in our power to prevent it from happening again. We must stop that dark world -- born from militarism, interventionism, and fascism -- from ever returning," he said.

Nicaraguan FM warns of militarism revival