On September 3, 2015, a grand reception commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War was held at the Great Hall of the People. Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Chinese President and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended the reception and delivered an important address. He stressed that peace is hard won and must be defended. We commemorate the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War to rekindle the yearning for and commitment to peace. A stronger and more developed China will surely mean a stronger force for world peace. It is also our sincere hope that all countries draw more wisdom and strength from history, stick to peaceful development and work together to open up a promising future for world peace.

Chinese Party and state leaders including Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan, Zhang Gaoli and more than 800 Chinese and foreign guests joyfully gathered together. Li Keqiang presided over the reception.

At about 12:25 pm, Xi Jinping and his wife Mme. Peng Liyuan and other couples of foreign leaders who attended the reception entered the banquet hall together in the joyful tune of welcome, and all the attendees burst into warm applause.

At the beginning of the reception, Xi Jinping delivered an important speech. First of all, on behalf of the Chinese government and people, he extended sincere welcome to the attendance of all the veterans, old comrades, old militia, models in supporting the front, relatives of the martyrs in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, patriotic personage, generals in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression or their family members, all guests and friends, and extended warm congratulations to the Chinese people of all ethnic groups and people of all countries on the memorial day of victory.

President Xi Jinping emphasized that the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression is a great triumph won by the Chinese People fighting side by side with the anti-fascist allies and people of other countries. As the main battlefield in the East in the World Anti-Fascist War, the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression made major contribution to its victory. The greatest power is to pull all minds and forces together. In the interest of freedom, justice and peace, and for the sake of people’s safety, tranquility and happiness, in Asia, Europe, Africa, Oceania and on every other battlefield of the world, the armies and people of the world anti-fascist allies as well as various anti-fascist forces strode hand in hand into the same trench and gathered up powerful strength at a critical historical moment. The Chinese people will always remember the valuable support from the world’s peace- and justice-loving countries, peoples and international organizations for the victory of their War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. President Xi extended heartfelt thanks to all the foreign governments, international organizations and foreign friends that aided and helped the Chinese people in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.

President Xi Jinping pointed out that human history suffers inevitable twists and turns and enjoys inevitable continual progress. History is written in the hearts of the people, which should not and can not be erased. The history of yesterday is not written by people today, but the people today cannot break away from the history of yesterday to seize today and start tomorrow. History will gradually back away, but the enlightenment and lessons of history, whether we admit them or not, will always stay. Whether the peoples of the countries bravely fighting the war of aggression in those years or the peoples of the countries waging the wars, whether the people who went through those years or the people who were born afterwards, should all adhere to the correct outlook on history and keep in mind the enlightenment and lessons of history.

Xi Jinping stressed that based on the painful awareness of history, the Chinese people will unwaveringly take the path of peaceful development, unwaveringly follow the open strategy of mutual benefits and win-win results, develop friendly cooperation with all countries based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and unswervingly maintain world peace.

In the joyful music, Xi Jinping proposed a toast with Chinese and foreign leaders to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War and wish for world peace together.

Present at the reception were foreign leaders, high-level government representatives, leaders of international and regional organizations, former high-ranking politicians, foreign envoys in China, representatives of international organizations in China, leaders of foreign military inspecting groups, and representatives of international friends who made contributions to the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression or their family members who attended the commemorations for the 70 anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War

Present at the reception were Members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Members of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, relevant leaders of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the State Council, the Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and the Central Military Commission, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Chief Executive of the Macau Special Administrative Region.

Present at the reception were heads of departments concerning CPC, government, military and people affairs of the CPC Central Committee in Beijing, key leaders of the Central Committee of other democratic parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, representatives of nonparty personages, representatives of compatriots in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan and overseas Chinese, representatives of veterans, old comrades, old militia and models in supporting the front, representatives of relatives of martyrs in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and others.

Before the reception, Xi Jinping met with leaders of foreign military inspecting groups from 30 countries and took pictures with them at the Great Hall of the People.