China yesterday opened an exhibition commemorating victory over Japan in World War II, part of a propaganda push to stir up nationalism by observing the 70th anniversary of the war’s end in Asia with great fanfare.
Soldiers and children stood in silence outside the Museum of the War of the Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in suburban Beijing at the opening ceremony of the “Great Victory and Historical Contribution” exhibition on the 78th anniversary of the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. A clash at the Marco Polo Bridge in 1937 is regarded as the first battle of the Second Sino-Japanese war, which lasted until Japan’s defeat by the Allies in 1945.
Relations between the two Asian giants have long been affected by what Chinese see as Japan’s failure to sufficiently atone for the suffering it caused during the war. They have also worsened in recent years over competing claims to islands in the East China Sea. China has sought to underline what it maintains is Japan’s renewed militarism, while at the same time becoming more aggressive in pressing its own territorial claims.
The ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leadership also wants to highlight the communists’ role in fighting the Japanese, though technically Japan surrendered to the US-led Allies in the Pacific and then days later in China to then-Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) leader Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石), who later fled to Taiwan after losing the Chinese Civil War to the communists.
With the Chinese flag yesterday flying outside the museum, CCP propaganda chief Liu Yunshan (劉雲山) said the exhibition was to remember the “martyrs, to cherish the peace and look ahead to the future.”
He said that the exhibition, displaying photographs and relics, “demonstrates the bravery of all Chinese people in this anti-Japanese war and the critical role played by the Chinese Communist Party.”
It also serves as “an excellent platform for patriotic education,” he added.
As part of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) drive to stir patriotism, China is promoting its participation in World War II as never before. Last year, it created three new annual national holidays linked to the war.
In September, China is to hold a military parade to mark the anniversary of the end of the war in Asia. So far, only Russia has agreed to send officials and soldiers to take part in the Sept. 3 parade.
On Monday, culture officials announced that “to increase patriotism,” 183 war-themed concerts, operas and other performances would be staged over the coming two months, along with the screening of new movies, TV series, documentaries and cartoons.
On Saturday, Taiwan held its own major military parade to commemorate the victory over Japan, with President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) saying the fight against the Japanese was led by Chiang and that “no one is allowed to distort that.”
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