A young student visits a themed exhibition marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War at the Museum of the War of Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in Beijing on July 19, 2025.
The year 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. During World War II, China forged profound bonds with nations worldwide on the anti-fascist battlefield, enduring testaments to transnational solidarity. In the Lisbon Maru incident, Chinese fishermen from Zhoushan risked their lives to rescue 384 British prisoners of war, making 65 perilous trips under Japanese gunfire in a monumental display of courage and compassion.
Similarly, Shanghai’s sheltering of tens of thousands of Jewish refugees, alongside international figures like Norman Bethune and Dwarkanath Kotnis who stood with China in its resistance against Japanese aggression, forms a powerful epic of justice that transcends national boundaries. These events prove that international solidarity forged in times of crisis can outlast the ravages of war.
Eighty years later, this spirit of internationalism lives on. It was vividly present at the “Bridge of Peace” dialogue hosted by China Today • Macao Salon. At a time of pressing global challenges like climate crisis and geopolitical tensions, young leaders from Europe and China came together to highlight the importance of technology and inclusiveness as the lingua franca of modern diplomacy.
Safeguarding our shared future requires sustained commitment across generations. Today, as we solemnly commemorate the 80th anniversary, we reaffirm three imperatives: historical justice is undeniable; peace demands strength to defend; and civilizational dialogue can transcend zero-sum rivalry.
This anniversary is not an occasion for dwelling on pain, but a time to transform the “spirit of the War of Resistance” into kinetic energy for building a community with a shared future for humanity. We honor history not merely through remembrance, but through action.
