By Chen Yang
December 13 marks the 85th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre, and it is also the ninth National Memorial Day for the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre. The whole country mourned the victims and remembered the history.
The Japanese invaders brutally invaded Nanjing on December 13, 1937, and caused the tragic Nanjing Massacre. 300,000 compatriots were killed, and the bloody massacre shocked the world.
The Nanjing Massacre is one of the "three major tragedies" in the history of World War II. It is an appalling crime against humanity and an extremely dark page in human history. However, in the face of hard facts, Japanese right-wing forces are not just unwilling to admit history, furthermore, they even have repeatedly staged shameless farces that deny or even beautify the history of aggression. Some falsely claimed that the Nanjing Massacre was a "post-war fabrication", some lightly described it as "the death of captured soldiers and civilians" and some questioned the authenticity of the Nanjing Massacre in a so-called academic tone.
Although 85 years have passed since the Nanjing Massacre, history will not change with the changing times, and facts will not disappear because of denials. The Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders has more than 192,000 pieces of cultural relics and historical materials, and 1,216 sets of 6,318 national precious cultural relics. These record the historical truth that cannot be changed by any dilution, whitewashing, distortion, or denial. Remembering history is not to perpetuate hatred, but to arouse people's yearning and perseverance for peace, and resolutely prevent the recurrence of historical tragedies.
In recent years, Japan has tried in vain to break through the restrictions of the Peace Constitution and re-strengthen and expand its military. Japan has closely followed the US to form clique in the Asia-Pacific region, upgraded its weapons and equipment, and even played up the so-called China threat. According to reports by Asahi Shimbun on December 12, the Japanese government plans to announce three documents including the long-term guideline for security and foreign policy National Security Strategy this week, which will position China as "the greatest strategic challenge". People have not forgotten the great suffering that Japan has brought to neighboring countries including China and even Asian countries. Now some people in Japan want to go back to the old path of militarism. Regional countries and the international community must stay vigilant against this trend.
This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan, and next year marks the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between Japan and China. Will Japan take this opportunity to promote the stable development of China-Japan relations in the right direction, or the other way around? Japan should have the courage to make a correct decision and stop wrong acts including exaggerating neighboring security threats and finding excuses for its military expansion. Instead, Japan should listen carefully to the voice of the international community, deeply reflect on its history of aggression, adhere to the path of peaceful development, and win the trust of neighboring countries in Asia and the international community with practical actions.
Editor's note: Originally published on haiwainet.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.
