China urges Japan to stop glorifying aggression, distorting history, endangering peace

China urges Japan to stop all wrong words and deeds that glorify aggression, distort history and endanger peace, a spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Japan said on Tuesday after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sent a ritual offering to the notorious Yasukuni Shrine.

The Yasukuni Shrine is a spiritual tool and symbol of Japanese militarists responsible for the war of aggression, the spokesperson said.

Japan's negative moves regarding Yasukuni Shrine amount to reversing the verdict on its history of aggression, whitewashing its war crimes, and honoring the militarists, which run counter to historical justice and human conscience and challenge the victorious outcome of World War II and the post-war international order, the spokesperson said.

Noting that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the beginning of the Tokyo trials, the spokesperson said that the international community, with abundant and conclusive evidence, delivered a final judgment on Japan's acts of aggression, ruling on Class-A war criminals in accordance with the law, and safeguarding the victory of the world's anti-fascist war as well as international fairness and justice.

However, 80 years later, Japanese leaders and politicians still pay frequent visit or send ritual offerings to the Yasukuni Shrine that honors Class-A war criminals. This reflects Japan's seriously erroneous attitude toward historical issues and exposes the negative and dangerous trend of certain forces in Japan attempting to reverse the course of history and promote distorted views of the past, said the spokesperson.

Coupled with Japan's moves to hollow out its pacifist constitution, accelerate military expansion, relax restrictions on arms exports, and even float the idea of nuclear armament, its Asian neighbors and the wider international community are becoming increasingly alert and deeply concerned, the spokesperson noted.

China solemnly urges Japan to honestly honor the statements and commitments it has made on historical issues, stop all erroneous words and deeds that glorify aggression, distort history and endanger peace, and take concrete actions to make a complete break with militarism, said the spokesperson.

Yasukuni Shrine, located in central Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward, honors 14 convicted Class-A Japanese war criminals from World War II. It has long been a source of diplomatic friction between Japan and its neighbors.

China urges Japan to stop glorifying aggression, distorting history, endangering peace

Commemorations honoring Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) martyrs were held on the banks of the Yalu River in Dandong, Liaoning Province on Tuesday as part of ongoing tributes to those who fought in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953).

The event was held to mark the return of the remains of 12 CPV martyrs, who were killed in the war, from the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Wednesday.

This will be the 13th such repatriation of CPV remains following the handover agreement between the two countries. Since 2014, the remains of 1,011 soldiers have been returned to China from the ROK, according to China's Ministry of Veterans Affairs.

More than 170 representatives, including veteran CPV soldiers, relatives of the martyrs, active-duty personnel, students, and other from various sectors of society, attended the event.

People boarded a ferry which slowly sailed down the Yalu River. Inside the cabin, all present stood in solemn silence as the national anthem of the People's Republic of China was played, and observed a moment of silence in honor of the CPV martyrs.

Then, they walked to the ship's railings one by one and scattered flower petals into the river to pay tribute to the martyrs.

"We, the CPV, went abroad to fight to defend our motherland, the people, and our good life and to resist U.S. imperialist aggression against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). I hope that our young comrades and students today will study hard and make contributions to our motherland," said Hu Changzhe, a CPV veteran.

"I feel deeply moved as these veteran soldiers are heroes who once fought for our country. Now, standing by the Yalu River, looking back on their past and remembering their comrades, they must be deeply touched," said Hong Jialu, a student at a branch of Liaoning Province Shiyan High School.

At the event, 10 student representatives from primary and middle schools read aloud a letter to express their reverence and remembrance for the heroic martyrs through their sincere words and heartfelt recitation.

The Korean War broke out in June 1950, eight months after the People's Republic of China was founded. At the request of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), China sent 2.9 million CPV soldiers to assist the DPRK during the war, of whom more than 360,000 were killed or injured.

Commemorations held to pay tribute to CPV heroes in northeast China