Overseas experts, media praise China's plans to mark end of WWII

BEIJING - Overseas experts as well as foreign media have hailed China's plans to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, which include a military parade on Sep. 3 in Beijing, saying those events are of great significance.

Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow with S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies of Singapore Nanyang Technological University, said China's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was a crucial part of the global fight against fascism, as efforts made by the Allies in China and Soviet Union indispensably helped to end the atrocities of fascists.

That is why China's memorial activities on the victory of WWII are important in a global context, said Oh.

During the WWII, Chinese lived in Southeast Asia were also ravaged by Japanese aggressors, so they joined in the courageous fight against fascists along with other people in the world.

China's memorial activities made overseas Chinese profoundly pleased, said the scholar, who is also an overseas Chinese himself.

Galina Kulikova, first vice president of the Russia-China Friendship Association, said that in addition to the participation of soldiers and dignitaries from China and other countries, China's commemoration includes the involvement of the public too.

Kulikova added that Russia will send guards of honor to join China's parade on Tiananmen Square and Russian President Vladimir Putin and many veterans are expected to attend the event.

"Russia and China, as two main forces fighting in the WWII in the Western and Oriental battlefields, have come through great hardships and won the war with terrible loss of human lives," Kulikova said, adding that "the upcoming commemorative events in China mean that our countries stand against falsification of the results of WWII."

These events are not only valuable lessons for the youngsters of Russia and China to remember the history and deepen the friendship between them but also a contribution to global peace, stressed Kulikova.

The New York Times published an article on its website on Tuesday, saying that China's V-day parade "would be steeped in symbolism, highlighting a resurgent China."

South Korea's KBS, YTN TV, Newsis News Agency, The Munhwa Ilbo and other major media outlets have also reported China's commemoration plans.

Aju Business Daily, a major South Korean newspaper, has run an article on China's V-day military parade, saying that it is China's new attempt to communicate with the world and to show its willingness to maintain peace and development with other countries.

The Chinese Commercial News, a historical Chinese-language newspaper in the Philippines, has used half a page to cover the plans for various commemorative events in China.

On Tuesday, China announced plans to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, including inviting foreign militaries to participate.

While President Xi Jinping will speak at the event, representatives of veterans, civilians who supported the army during the war and relatives of the fallen will also take part in the parade.