World should remember war against fascism for better future: Chinese ambassador to Belgium

Commemorating the 70th anniversary of the end of the global war against fascism is of "great importance" at this time, Chinese ambassador to Belgium Qu Xing wrote in an article published on Friday in the Belgian daily newspaper Le Soir.

"It is not only about acknowledging the past, but also shining a light on the future, an even better future, where all of mankind enjoys peace and development," the Chinese ambassador wrote, in the article headlined "Remembering, for a better future."

Since early this year, countries around the world have held ceremonies to commemorate the end of the second world war. China has also organised a series of activities, including a military parade on Sept. 3, to mark the 70th anniversary of the victory of Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Facists War.

"Rather than prolonging hatred, these commemorations are designed to uphold justice, maintain peace and remind us to be vigilant to avoid repeating the tragedy of history," Qu wrote.

He said the commemorations "show our determination to remember the victory against fascism and to show the willingness of different countries to unite and firmly pursue a path of peaceful development."

Qu added: "History is a mirror that reminds us to remember what has happened and to learn lessons so that the same mistakes are not repeated."

During a Belgian commemoration of the end of the first world war, German Chancellor Angela Merkel acknowledged, on behalf of the German government, the misery that Germany had caused the Belgian people during the two world wars, Qu said.

He added that, similarly, the people of Asian countries that were attacked during the war also hope "wholeheartedly" to receive sincere apologies and expressions of regret.

"Much like the Belgian people, the Chinese people have lasting memories of the suffering brought about by the war," he continued.

Qu said that in both world wars, the Chinese and Belgian people shared a similar fate: the outbreak of a war with no formal declaration from the attackers, the use of chemical weapons, the killing of civilians, forced labor, and the looting of property and cultural heritage.

From 1931 to 1945, the Japanese invasion of China left more than 35 million people dead and wounded. Hundreds of cities and towns were destroyed. Chemical weapons abandoned by the Japanese army in northeastern China still pose a threat to the lives of local people and the environment today.

In the Adventures of Tintin volume "The Blue Lotus", Belgian cartoonist Herge depicts the Japanese military invasion that triggered the war in China, with the blowing up of a railway on Sept. 18, 1931. The cartoon has made Herge one of the most famous Belgians among the Chinese.

According to the Chinese ambassador, "the world today is far from being at peace", adding that fascist and militarist thinking still exists, and history is being forgotten and falsified.

He said the use of power politics, where sovereign entities protect their interests by threatening military or political aggression, and the arbitrary use of force still present a potential danger to world peace.

Qu concluded that hard-won peace must be preserved and cherished, to avoid repeating the tragedy of history and prevent fascism and militarism from rising from their ashes. Endit