Commemorative events highlight historical lessons

Unmanned aircraft receives inspection during a military parade in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, on Beijing's Tian'anmen Square, October 1, 2009. [Xinhua]

To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of the World War II, victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-1945), and the founding of the United Nations this year, many countries including China and Russia plan to hold a military parade.

Beijing's parade on Sept 3, in particular, is expected to be of unique significance compared with the previous ones. Besides inviting foreign troops to its upcoming parade for the first time, China has also made it clear that it has sent invitations to all countries concerned and welcomes them attending the parade and commemoration activities. That means, Japan, too, has been invited to attend.

Beijing's sincere and friendly gesture not only seeks to showcase China's determination to contribute to the peaceful postwar global order, but also the country's willingness to cooperate with other peace-loving states. The parade will celebrate the united efforts that defeated fascism, and highlight the historical lessons that should have been learnt.

Some Western media outlets report that European countries are in a dilemma about whether to attend or not, because they don't want to choose between China and Japan. In fact, China's military parade is not intended to stoke the rivalry between China and Japan, nor fuel hatred among the two peoples. The parade, which is not aimed at humiliating any other country, is only part of the planned activities to remember the victory against fascism.

It is by no means meant, as an article in the Tokyo-based Diplomat magazine put it, as "a warning to Japan and the United States". By over-interpreting an online report of People's Daily, one of China's official mouthpieces, on the parade, this piece arrived at the conclusion that "the parade is meant to convey the message that China has arrived militarily on the world stage".