International scholars and leaders said China’s grand V-Day gathering reinforced its commitment to peaceful development, highlighting the importance for global unity to safeguard world peace and security.
China held a grand military parade in Beijing on Wednesday to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, oversaw the parade and reviewed the troops.
In his speech delivered before the parade, Xi noted that the Chinese people made a major contribution to the salvation of human civilization and the defense of world peace with immense sacrifice in the war. Reiterating China's commitment to peaceful development, Xi called on nations to prevent historical tragedies from recurring, and emphasized that humanity's cause of peace and development will prevail.
Experts worldwide agreed that the parade was a solemn reaffirmation of China's unwavering commitment to peaceful development in a world still fraught with turbulence and uncertainties.
"The message that has been delivered is very much important, especially with the current situation, with the current geopolitical tensions and also the conflicts. President Xi Jinping's message of peace can only be achieved through common development and also win-win development that can only be achieved together, instead of creating a conflict between one another, so this is actually why this message of peace, peaceful development and peaceful modernization is very important," said Christine Susanna Tjhin, the director of strategic communication and research of Indonesia-based Gentala Institute.
"To move forward humanity needs to move together. There are many different peoples, many different ethnicities, but we need to move together. If we're not, if we're divided, then it's very difficult to move forward. And it's dangerous. It can result in conflicts, which can have devastating consequences. The world needs to be as one, united as one," said British scholar Martin Jacques, a former senior fellow of Department of Politics and International Studies of Cambridge University.
Meanwhile, global politicians reflected on China's development achievements, highlighting the success of Chinese modernization.
"Every time one comes to China, one is struck by the success of its development, the modernity of China. Unless you've been here, you just don't get it. And so many of the critics of China, so many of the people who opine about China, have never been here. They haven't seen the Chinese achievement and the cleanliness, the efficiency of the cities. Chinese urbanism demands attention. It simply works," said Bob Carr, former Australian Foreign Minister.
China’s V-Day event draws international recognition for peaceful vision
