Interview: Kazakh president praises China's role in defeating Fascism

The Chinese people's role in defeating Fascism deserves greater recognition as China made huge sacrifices for world peace when fighting alongside other countries during World War II, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said.

China made unmeasurable contributions to the Allied victory in WWII, Nazarbayev told Xinhua in an interview before departing for China to attend the Sept. 3 parade commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

China, a main battlefield in the Asian continent during WWII, witnessed several important battles that led to the surrender of Japanese militarists in 1945.

A total of 1.5 million Japanese troops were wiped out in Chinese battlefields, while the casualties of Chinese soldiers and civilians reached 35 million.

Thanks to the country's long and arduous resistance against Japanese aggressor troops, Japan was pinned down and South Asia and Australia were secured from an invasion.

On the upcoming military parade in Beijing, Nazarbayev, whose country has also sent a guard of honor consisting of some 100 soldiers, said it is a landmark event for China and the whole world.

The ceremony will come as a reminder about the horribleness of the bloodiest war in human history, as well as the terrible consequences caused by the war of aggression based on racial superiority, he added.

He said that since the end of WWII, countries have realized the necessity to abandon the mindset of forming alliances and to establish a global security system on the principle of equality, mutual trust and predictability.

Countries can cope with challenges that threaten their peaceful existence only by concerted efforts, said the president, adding that the Allied victory in WWII can be hardly won without the contribution of all members of the Allies.

China's military parade symbolizes a sense of pride and is a celebration for heroism and the older generation's remarkable feats, he said.

Kazakhstan's dispatch of its guard of honor to the event means that both Kazakhstan and China made contributions to the Allied victory in WWII by jointly fighting Fascism, he noted.

Nazarbayev also expressed concern about some forces' attempt to distort the history of WWII, saying the deliberate manipulation of history has become a publicity means for some politicians.

The distortion of history aims to serve for short-term political interests, including stirring up social hatred, he said.

The president said concerted efforts from all countries are needed to stop the distortion of WWII history, adding that the truth of history should be restored.

As for the future of Kazakhstan-China ties, Nazarbayev said that since Kazakhstan's independence, the country has taken the development of good-neighborly and friendly relations with China as a priority for its foreign policy.

The two countries have shared consistent interests and similar views in key issues in international affairs, he said.

Kazakhstan's dispatch of its guard of honor to China's Sept. 3 parade will further consolidate the friendship between the two peoples, Nazarbayev added. Endi