On September 11, 2015, the Chinese Embassy in the Hellenic Republic held a seminar commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Chinese People’s War against Japanese War and World Anti-Fascist War. Over 100 people attended the seminar including Ambassador Zou Xiaoli and his wife, representatives of the Secretariat General of Information and Communication, the Communist Party of Greece, the Greece-China Association, as well as representatives of mainstream Greek media, scholars, the Association of Chinese Companies in Greece, and overseas Chinese community groups in Greece.

At the seminar, the participants watched the video recording the event commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Chinese People’s War against Japanese Aggression and World Anti-Fascist War held in Beijing on September 3 and listened to the speech by President Xi Jinping.

 

In his speech, Ambassador Zou said that history cannot be forgotten or tampered with. The hideous and numerous crimes of Japanese aggression in China had solid evidence. It took 14 years for the Chinese military and people to defeat the Japanese aggressors with a casualty of 35 million people, making tremendous contribution to the complete victory of the world anti-Fascist War and establishing a historical monument of justice over evil. To know about and look squarely at this tragic history is the obligation of every person with a conscience and the international community. I have visited the museum of the Auschwitz Concentration Camp in Poland and the Museum of the Great Patriotic War in Russia. After coming to Greece, I have visited exhibitions on the struggles of the Greek people to fight against aggression and for national independence. I hope that political leaders, media personnel and ordinary people of European countries can also go to visit the Museum on Nanjing Massacre and the Museum on the Chinese People’s War against Japanese Aggression, where you can have a new understanding about history. For a person and a nation or a country alike, only by respecting history can lessons be learned and a better future be created.

Ambassador pointed out that China’s peace and development is the most important contribution to the world. China has a population of 1.3 billion, about one fifth of the world total. Peace, stability, and prosperity of China bears on not only the wellbeing of the Chinese people, but also the interests of the whole world. The Chinese people, who have tasted the bitter results of foreign aggression, secession and bullying, know best the importance of peace, freedom, independence, and dignity. China has never, and will never impose the misery of war, which they know only too well, on other nations. China is one of the initiators of the five principles of peaceful coexistence. It is a consistent stand of China to solve international disputes through political and diplomatic means and to oppose the random use of force. China has sent altogether over 30,000 officers for UN peacekeeping, the most among permanent members of the UN Security Council. The Chinese government never attaches any political conditions when providing foreign development assistance. Chinese businesses have pursued the principle of equality, mutual benefit, and win-win in making investment overseas. The container terminal run by Cosco is a good case in point. Any person who has some understanding about the history, culture, and foreign policy of China will know that the road of peaceful development that China pursues has nothing to do with the logic that a powerful country will surely go after hegemony.

Ambassador Zou stressed that safeguarding peace needs both justice and strength. China’s demonstrating of the latest military equipment is to show the confidence and resolution of the Chinese people and all countries and nations that love and safeguard peace. History will show that the bigger China is, the firmer the foundation of world peace, and the greater guarantee for the security of mankind.

Ambassador said that the spirit of the War against Japanese Aggression encourages the whole Chinese nation to realize great revitalization. Seventy years ago, it was because of the great unity, perseverance, and courage of the Chinese people and their belief in justice, peace, and people’s victory, and extensive international support that China was able to defeat Japanese Fascists despite severe lack of materials and extremely backward equipment. The victory of the Chinese People’s War against Japanese Aggression paved the bright path for the great renewal of the Chinese nation. With 70 years of hard struggles, the Chinese people have never been so close to this great dream. At the same time, we know that the world is far from being tranquil and that the road ahead is filled with hardships and challenges. The Chinese people and people around the world should have a sense of a community of shared destinies, carry forward the great spirit of the Chinese People’s War against Japanese Aggression and work relentlessly for peace and prosperity of the world while realizing its own development.

Ambassador Zou said at the last that both China and Greece are ancient civilizations and have similar experience and feelings. Over the past 43 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two sides have shown mutual understanding and support on major issues, helped each other in times of difficulties, and established solid friendship and mutual trust. The presence of so many Greek friends at today’s reception commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Chinese People’s War against Japanese Aggression and the World’s Anti-Fascist War expresses your respect for history and love of peace and conveys friendship and support to the Chinese people. For this I would like to extend to you sincere gratitude and highest regards. At present both countries are at a crucial stage of reform and revitalization. It is our joint aspiration to enhance communication and cooperation. I believe that China and Greece will embrace a better tomorrow and that China-Greece relations will move to new highs to bring benefit to peoples of the two countries and make greater contribution to the progress of mankind.

Mr. Korkidis, councilor of the Department of International Cooperation of the Hellenic Secretariat General of Information and Communication, Mr. Arvanitakis. , member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of Greece, Mr. Potamianos, President of China-Greece Association, and Mr. Fotiadis, senior correspondent of Amavousia, delivered speeches, expressing the view that history should not be tampered with and that a nation can only win respect by respecting history. The Communist Party of China and the Chinese people defeated Japanese aggressors, making outstanding contribution to the world anti-Fascist War. Peace has not come by easily, which should be highly treasured. The participants spoke highly of the tremendous achievement in China’s economic and social development, thinking that China and Greece, as two ancient civilizations, should join hands to further deepen and expand practical cooperation in various areas to make new contribution to world peace and progress. Mr. Wu Hailong, president of China-Greece Times, who attended the commemoration event in Beijing as representative of overseas Chinese in Greece, gave a speech at the seminar to share his views and expressions of attending the event in Beijing, and expressed the determination that overseas Chinese in Greece will continue to carry forward the spirit of patriotism, and make new contribution to friendly cooperation between China and Greece.

Correspondents of Kathimerini, Xinhua News Agency, and CCTV covered the seminar on spot.