China held a national memorial ceremony Monday to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre committed by Japanese invaders in 1937.
The ceremony was held by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council at the square of the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, the capital city of Jiangsu Province in east China.
In front of the darkly-dressed crowd, China's national flag flew at half-mast as the country held its eighth national memorial ceremony Monday for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre.
Despite the winter chill, thousands of people who observed epidemic prevention protocols attended the ceremony in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu province, with white flowers on their lapels conveying condolences.
At exactly 10:01 am, sirens started to blare and the city came to a halt. Drivers in the downtown area stopped their cars and honked; pedestrians paused for a minute of silence in remembrance of the victims.
Teenagers read out a declaration of peace and citizen representatives struck the Bell of Peace. White doves, symbolizing peace, were released over the square of the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders.
The commemoration proclaimed the Chinese people's firm stance on learning from history to create a bright future and their noble aspiration for adhering to the path of peaceful development, said Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan when addressing the ceremony.
Sun, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, was joined by about 3,000 people from all walks of life wearing white flowers on their lapels.
Noting the massacre as one of the most barbaric episodes of World War II, Sun said the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression is the victory of justice and peace.
Under the leadership of the Party, the Chinese people have realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects as scheduled and embarked on a new journey to build China into a great modern socialist country in all respects, Sun said. She added that China's national rejuvenation became a historical inevitability.
"It is the greatest consolation to the victims of the Nanjing Massacre, the martyrs, and all those who died during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression," Sun said.
The historical suffering must not be forgotten and the pace of progress will never stop, said Sun, adding that under the leadership of the CPC, the achievements that China has made in national rejuvenation and prosperity and in fighting against poverty are the best tributes to all the martyrs and victims of the war.
In his speech, Sun regarded Nanjing Massacre as a painful memory that should not be forgotten or tampered.
Speaking of China-Japan relationship in the new era, Sun wished the two countries would work jointly to push forward bilateral ties toward friendly cooperation and peaceful development.
Following Sun's speech, 84 teenagers read out a declaration of peace. Six citizen representatives struck the Bell of Peace. A total of 3,000 white doves, symbolizing peace, were released over the memorial square.
