China Commemorates 80th Anniversary of Victory of Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and World Anti-Fascist War

China has commemorated the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. The war, which lasted for 14 years from 1931 to 1945, was a decisive battle in the defeat of Japanese fascism. China's contribution to the war was significant, with the Chinese people tying down two-thirds of Japan's ground forces and parts of its navy and air force, resulting in over 1.5 million Japanese casualties. The war also claimed over 35 million Chinese lives, and direct economic losses reached $100 billion, with indirect losses estimated at $500 billion.

Key Takeaways:

• China fired the first shot in the World Anti-Fascist War in 1931, following Japan's invasion of Northeast China.
• The Chinese people fought a 14-year battle against Japanese militarism, with the war lasting 3.5 times longer than the US anti-fascist war and 2.5 times longer than Britain's anti-fascist war.
• China tied down more than two-thirds of Japan's ground forces and parts of its navy and air force, killing, wounding, and capturing over 1.5 million Japanese troops.
• The Chinese people paid a horrific price for this, with over 35 million Chinese military and civilian casualties, representing one-third of the total casualties of World War II.
• China's contribution to the war established a decisive strategic constraint on Japanese fascism, preventing Japan from advancing northward toward the Soviet Union and southward toward the Pacific.
• China has consistently fulfilled its historic commitments through action, from proposing the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind to advocating global development initiatives, global security initiatives, and global civilization initiatives.
• The war serves as a warning to humanity that the law of the jungle mentality of the survival of the fittest will ultimately plunge humanity into the abyss.
• China will continue to work with the international community to resolutely safeguard the achievements of World War II and international fairness and justice.

Statistics:

• The Chinese war against Japanese aggression lasted for 14 years, from 1931 to 1945.
• The war claimed over 35 million Chinese lives, with direct economic losses reaching $100 billion and indirect losses estimated at $500 billion.
• Over 1.5 million Japanese troops were killed, wounded, or captured by the Chinese forces.
• China tied down two-thirds of Japan's ground forces and parts of its navy and air force.
• The war lasted 3.5 times longer than the US anti-fascist war and 2.5 times longer than Britain's anti-fascist war.

Sources:

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China
• "Remembering History and Creating the Future: Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War" (signed article by Ambassador Zhou Qian)
• "North China Security War" (Japanese Defense Agency book)
• UN Charter
• Cairo Declaration
• Potsdam Proclamation
• United Nations declaration