On June 12, an international symposium commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War was convened in Hong Kong.

Addressing the opening ceremony, John Lee Ka-chiu, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), emphasized that the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was a profound triumph of national unity and patriotic spirit. Over the course of the arduous 14-year struggle, Chinese soldiers and civilians alike rallied the nation against foreign invasion with their unyielding resolve, galvanized by a shared sense of purpose and deep love for the motherland.

Lee stressed that holding the symposium in Hong Kong was particularly meaningful, as it both honors this heroic chapter of history and reaffirms Hong Kong’s important role in the broader wartime struggle.

He noted that during the war, the people of Hong Kong stood firmly with their compatriots on the Chinese mainland. United by blood ties thicker than water, Hong Kong served as a vital conduit for the transport of supplies to the motherland and the Allied forces, and many Hong Kong citizens made direct contributions to the resistance effort, exemplifying a spirit of courage and patriotic sacrifice.

Lee further stated that the HKSAR government continues to promote mainstream values centered on “loving the motherland and loving Hong Kong,” in alignment with the principle of “One Country, Two Systems.” By supporting all sectors of society and patriotic organizations to hold diverse commemorative activities, the government seeks to enrich public understanding of national history and strengthen young people’s sense of identity and belonging. He called for deeper reflections on history, a firm commitment to peace, and the continuation of the patriotic ideals and national spirit embodied by wartime generations—so as to advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

In his opening keynote speech, Gao Xiang, president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), stressed that the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression stands as the longest, largest, and costliest national liberation struggle against foreign invasion in modern Chinese history—and the first to end in total victory. As a key force in the global fight against fascism, China fought not only for the future of the Chinese nation but also in defense of humanity’s shared future. This hard-won victory, Gao said, was a victory both for the Chinese people and people of the world.

Gao called for a responsible approach to historical memory, the people, and the future—one grounded in fairness, truth, and a global perspective on WWII—so that history can continue to illuminate the road ahead for humankind. Peace, not war, and cooperation, not confrontation, remain the enduring themes of human progress and development. Over the past 80 years, the postwar international system, with the United Nations at its core, has played a critical role in maintaining global peace and stability, providing essential guarantees and institutional underpinnings to protect humanity from tragedies of world war.

In light of today’s increasingly complex international environment, Gao highlighted President Xi Jinping’s far-sighted proposals: the vision of building a human community with a shared future, along with the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, which offer Chinese wisdom and solutions to pressing global challenges. He urged efforts to draw lessons from history, safeguarding the postwar international order and advancing these three global initiatives to promote the building of a human community with a shared future.

The symposium brought together over 100 participants, including renowned experts, scholars, youth representatives, and media professionals from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macao, as well as countries such as the United Kingdom, Russia, and Serbia. Together, they revisited history, honored those who sacrificed their lives, exchanged insights on topics related to the wars, and discussed the causes of victory and its enduring implications for the contemporary world.

The event was jointly hosted by the Institute of Modern History at the Chinese Academy of History under CASS, the Working Group on Patriotic Education of the HKSAR government, the Chinese Institute of Hong Kong under CASS, China Resources Group, and Lingnan University.