Speaking at the ongoing Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday, a Chinese scholar warned against what he described as attempts to revive Japanese militarism, questioning whether Japan is qualified to discuss international defense cooperation before fully reckoning with its wartime past.
Meng Xiangqing, a professor at the National Defense University, made the remarks while delivering a speech at a special session themed "Managing threats to strategic stability".
Meng noted that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the opening of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, or the Tokyo Trial, adding that the trial branded the heinous crimes of Japanese militarism as an everlasting stain on history, and laid an important legal foundation for the postwar international order.
Yet today, there are still forces that openly glorify war crimes, promote distorted views of World War II history, and attempt to challenge the verdicts of the Tokyo Trial in an effort to rewrite the history of aggression; some have even taken concrete actions to undermine the constraints of the postwar peace system, said Meng.
"Does a country that has not thoroughly eradicated the legacy of militarism have the right to speak at length about defense cooperation on the international stage? Can it win the trust of the international community, especially the Asian countries it once invaded? I have serious doubts," said the scholar.
Noting that the lessons of history are still fresh, Meng said that as the world stands at a new crossroads, all parties must remain vigilant against any resurgence of militarist ideologies and steadfastly uphold the outcomes of World War II and the postwar international order.
The Shangri-La Dialogue 2026, Asia's premier defense and security summit, opened Friday in Singapore amid growing geopolitical tensions.
The three-day event, which focuses on major security challenges facing the region, brought together 550 delegates from over 40 countries and regions.
It features six plenary sessions, two ministerial roundtables, three special sessions, and a special address.
A delegation of military experts and scholars from the People's Liberation Army of China has been invited to attend the Dialogue.
At Shangri-La Dialogue, Chinese scholar warns of resurgence of Japanese militarism
