A number of international observers, including scholars and officials, have commended Chinese President Xi Jinping's speech at the grand gathering marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, saying it reflects China's resolve to honor shared historical memory and promote global peace and development through cooperation.
"Well, I think the parade was absolutely impressive. China is a peace-loving country, but of course, if something bad happens, China has shown that 'we are prepared.' The Chinese resistance was absolutely crucial to win the World War II," Marco Fernandes, a researcher at Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, said.
"The parade demonstrates China's formidable national strength, showcasing a diverse array of high-quality equipment. It is not only worth watching but also should be watched. One can witness China's military capabilities and sense the spiritual confidence of the Chinese people and their troops. All these achievements are attributable to the effective leadership of Chinese leaders and the Communist Party of China," said Vice Admiral Fedor Smuglin, a Russian Navy veteran.
The observers said President Xi's speech reflected the deep thinking of a responsible major country on the issue of peaceful development.
They noted that Xi's Global Governance Initiative, proposed at the just-concluded Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, further underscores China's consistent commitment to working with all nations to promote global peace and development.
"We have to look at history as it gives us a good insight on where we are going in the future. And when we know, when we think of things, especially on the commemoration of World Anti-Fascist Day, and this idea of how do we secure ourselves. So we are seeing a strong, modern China rise up. This is an exciting moment, not just for China, but for the world if we can find ways to work together," said Robert Hanlon, an associate professor of political studies at Canada's Thompson River University.
"The role of China in the anti-Fascist effort during the Second World War was and is significant. With the speech of Xi Jinping, the essence of the speech is that China seeks for cooperation and not confrontation. China seeks for peace and not wars. It's not the imposing of the will of powerful countries to weaker countries," said Stefanos Stefanou, secretary-general of the Progressive Party of Working People of Cyprus.
"President Xi Jinping said that only when all countries and nations treat each other as equals, coexist in peace and support each other, can we uphold common security. The Chinese development itself and approach to do both domestic and foreign policy is the philosophy of a win-win situation," said Ogbole Amedu Ode, a former Nigerian diplomat.
"A couple of months ago, I visited Nanjing. The Memorial Hall actually left me a lot of deep impressions. For the whole process, we see how war had been tearing apart Nanjing and also the kind of atrocities that had been happening to the populations of Nanjing at the time. President Xi Jinping's message of peace can only be achieved through common development. This message of peace, peaceful development and peaceful modernization is very important," said Christine Susanna Tjhin, director of strategic communication and research of Indonesia's Gentala Institute.
Xi's speech reflects China's resolve to honor history, promote global development: int'l observers
