Vice Minister Shen Haixiong,
Chairman Jeffrey Greene,
Professor David Frazer,
Distinguished guests,
Dear friends,

It is a great pleasure to welcome all of you to the Chinese Embassy, to together remember history and honor fallen heroes. Just now, we visited the visual arts exhibition commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Each work of art is an ode to peace and friendship, and the hologram project brings history and the heroes back to life.

Eighty years ago, amid the flames of war, heroic men and women from both China and the United States stood up for peace and justice, and built an iron wall of defense at the cost of their lives. With tremendous sacrifices, they secured peace and tranquility for the world, and left a timeless legacy for all generations to come.

Let’s together salute the heroes for laying down their lives for the noble cause of peace. China was the main Eastern battlefield in the World Anti-Fascist War. As the earliest and longest-running front, the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression tied down the largest portion of Japanese troops and witnessed the greatest sacrifices. With 14 years of tenacious resistance, over 200 important battles and the loss of more than 35 million soldiers and civilians, China made indelible contributions to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War.

From the five heroes who fought to the last bullet and jumped off the cliff of the LangyaMountain, to “Chinese Schindler” Dr. Ho Feng-Shanwho risked his life to save thousands of Jews, the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation put up a heroic fight, stood together with people worldwide, and defeated Japanese militarist aggressors. That was a triumph for the Chinese people, and also for all people around the world. The great spirit of the War of Resistance, featuring intrepidity and perseverance in the face of threats of force, is continuing to inspire the Chinese people to this day to overcome all difficulties ahead, instead of being overwhelmed by the difficulties.

Let’s together salute the heroes for carrying the destiny of the nation and the world upon their shoulders. In that decisive war between justice and evil and between light and darkness, the peace-loving people of China and over 50 countries joined hands to establish the international anti-fascist united front. International friends of different races and ethnicities came to the war-ridden China, and fought together for the common cause of peace. The Flying Tigers soared across the sky to intercept Japanese aggressors, and opened up the treacherous “Hump Route” over the Roof of the World, writing an epic story in pursuit of peace with their lives. Artists also pitched in. American illustrator Martha Sawyers created a series of works to rally support for China. War photographer Robert Capa recorded the brutal Battle of Shanghai with his camera. Posters were put up throughout the streets of the U.S. to mobilize assistance for the Chinese. Today, to safeguard the post-war international order and protect the Earth, our only home, we still need such heroes, and should act together for peace and for the future.

Let’s together salute the heroes for forging an unshakable friendship through life and death. Many of you may be familiar with the Doolittle Raid, a signature battle of the Pacific Theater during World War II, in which 16 American bombers struck Japan after the attack on the Pearl Harbor. The rescue operation following the raid, though, was no less awe-inspiring.Running low on fuel after completing their mission, the pilots were forced to land in Zhejiang and Jiangxi. Chinese soldiers and civilians spared no effort to rescue the pilots they had never met before, and some 250,000 civilians were killed by Japanese aggressors in retaliation, who even waged atrocious germ warfare.

The friendship between the Chinese and American people was forged amid the trials of blood and fire, and has gained new life and injected fresh impetus into bilateral relations over the years. It is a constant reminder that China and the U.S. should see each other as a partner and friend, contribute to one another’s success and benefit the whole world; that we should never forget what our two peoples went through together in the era of war, and should never waver in our commitment to peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.

Dear friends,

History is both the best textbook and dose of sobriety. It has once and again proven that prejudice, hatred and war will bring nothing but disaster and pain, and mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation is the only right way forward. As the world’s two largest economies and permanent numbers of the UN Security Council, China and the U.S. share a special and significant responsibility for upholding world peace and stability and promoting global development and prosperity.

Eight decades ago, our two countries fought against fascism side by side and jointly defended peace and justice. Eight decades later, we have more extensive common interests, broader space for cooperation, and more important international obligations. For however long the future may last, China and the U.S. should continue coexisting in peace on this planet, and work together to get more big, practical and good things done. This not only serves the shared interests of our two countries, but also meets the common expectation of the international community.

Greatness is forged in the ordinary, and heroes come from the people. Ensuring that the tragedies of history will never repeat themselves is the best way to honor the heroes who gave their lives to protect freedom, justice and peace for humanity, and safeguarding the fruits of the victory of World War II and world peace is the best way to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the World Anti-Fascist War.

For any great cause to succeed, we must gain strength from the people. Accordingly, to find a right way for China and the U.S. to get along in the new era and advance the common cause of peace and development, we need everyone to be a hero. As long as all the good-willed people value peace and prioritize stability, and come together to build a brighter future, the light of peace will surely reach every corner around the globe, and we will surely create a masterpiece of lasting peace and universal security for the world.

Thank you very much.