Xi urges safeguarding legacy of WWII victory

MOSCOW -- President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called for concerted efforts to defend the legacy of World War II (WWII) victory as the world is once again reeling from the specter of hegemonism and power politics.

Xi made the call as he arrived in Moscow for a state visit to Russia and celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

In a written statement issued upon arrival, Xi said China and Russia will work together to safeguard the victorious outcome of WWII, and resolutely oppose hegemonism and power politics.

China and Russia, both major countries of the world and permanent members of the UN Security Council, will join hands to firmly safeguard the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law, practice true multilateralism, and promote the building of a more just and equitable global governance system, he said.

Xi's visit comes at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin. This marks his 11th visit to Russia since he became the president of China.

During his stay, Xi is expected to have in-depth communication with Putin on bilateral relations and cooperation, as well as major international and regional issues of common concern.

According to China's Foreign Ministry, Xi's attendance at the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War is an important part of his visit. It will be Xi's second time attending Russia's May 9 Victory Day commemorations as Chinese president.

A massive military parade will take place in Moscow's Red Square on Friday. Flags with the word "Victory" fluttered in the wind along the streets of Moscow, and the roads were lined with billboards and decorative windows depicting the history of the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union.

On the night of May 8, 1945, Germany signed the surrender document in Karlshorst, Berlin, marking the end of WWII in Europe. However, due to the time difference, Moscow had already entered May 9 -- the date the Soviet Union, and later Russia, commemorates as "Victory Day."

Meanwhile in Asia, China's final major campaign against Japan -- the Battle of Western Hunan -- reached its decisive phase. Japan's surrender aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on Sept. 2, 1945, brought WWII to an end.

In a signed article published in the Russian Gazette newspaper ahead of his arrival, Xi urged the international community to uphold a correct historical perspective on WWII.

"China and the Soviet Union were the principal theaters of that war in Asia and Europe respectively," Xi wrote. "The two countries served as the mainstay of resistance against Japanese militarism and German Nazism, making pivotal contribution to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War."

"Any attempt to distort the historical truth of WWII, deny its victorious outcome, or defame the historic contribution of China and the Soviet Union is doomed to fail," Xi wrote.

The year of 2025 also marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. The world body arose from the ashes of WWII. The UN Charter begins with a solemn pledge: "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war."

As the world is facing stiff headwinds from unilateralism, hegemonism, bullying and coercive practices, Xi emphasized the importance of multilateralism.

"The more turbulent and complex the international situation becomes, the more we must uphold and defend the authority of the UN," Xi wrote in his signed article.

"The establishment of an international system with the United Nations at its core is not easy at all, and must be firmly maintained by all countries of the world," said Ekaterina Zaklyazminskaya, leading researcher at the Institute of China and Modern Asia at the Russian Academy of Sciences.

"Russia and China support genuine multilateralism, which is very important at this time," said the researcher.

The world is shifting irreversibly toward a multipolar order, with Russia and China playing essential roles in this transformation, said Alexey Rodionov, a professor of Chinese studies at St. Petersburg State University.

China maintains a balanced stance on international issues, and that is why more countries now regard it as a key reference point in diplomacy and global policy, Rodionov said.