On September 3rd, 2025, Chinese Ambassador to Canada Wang Di published a byline article titled "Remember History, Cherish Peace" on the Hill Times. The full article is below:

Eighty years ago on September 3rd, the Chinese people, together with the Anti-fascist Allies including Canada and peoples across the world, through unyielding and bloody battles, defeated the Japanese militarist aggressors. This marked the great victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the complete triumph of the World Anti-fascist War.

Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it. On September 3rd in Beijing, China held a commemorative conference marking the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-fascist War. This solemn commemoration serves to remember history and honor the martyrs while demonstrating our firm resolve and confidence in cherishing peace and creating a better future.

We must honour the monumental achievements of our predecessors who fought valiantly. The Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression began the earliest and endured the longest. Through immense sacrifice of more than 35 million military and civilian casualties, our people played a decisive role in the demise of the Japanese aggressors and made indelible contributions to the ultimate victory of the World’s Anti-fascist War. Throughout fourteen years of arduous struggle, the Chinese battlefield was the main Eastern theatre of the World Anti-fascist War, holding and restraining over two-thirds of the Japanese troops. China must never be regarded as the “Forgotten Ally”.

We must remember the tradition of mutual support between the peoples of China and Canada. The Chinese people will always remember the invaluable assistance and support of Anti-fascist forces worldwide during our War of Resistance. We will never forget Canadian doctor Norman Bethune, who treated many wounded soldiers on China’s front lines and sacrificed his life in support of our struggle, becoming an eternal symbol of China-Canada friendship. We will never forget Canadian missionary James Gareth Endicott, from the United Church of Canada, who served as a liaison between the U.S. military and the Communist Party of China, making important contributions to coordinating operations against Japan. We will never forget our Canadian friend Isabel Crook, who during the early years of the war established clinics and schools in Sichuan Province which admitted impoverished children free of charge, and worked alongside local residents to treat the wounded. She went on to devote her life to promoting China-Canada friendship and became a founder of foreign language education in the People’s Republic of China.

We must remember the shared combat history of China and Canada. In the struggle against Japanese militarists, the two peoples fought shoulder to shoulder, creating memories that will never fade. In 1941, nearly 2,000 Canadian servicemen crossed the Pacific Ocean to take part in the defence of Hong Kong. In eighteen days of fierce fighting, 290 Canadian officers and soldiers were killed in action, and a further 264 perished in Japanese prisoner-of-war camps. After the fall of Hong Kong, a Hong Kong resident named William George Poy arrived in Canada with his wife and children as refugees. His daughter, Adrienne Clarkson, would later become the 26th Governor General of Canada. This connection across history is a testament to the shared memories of both peoples.

War is a mirror that reveals the precious value of peace. We revisit these memories, written in blood and tears, not to perpetuate hatred or sow division, but to awaken in all humanity a deep appreciation for peace and a steadfast commitment to it. This year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Canada, the 20th anniversary of our strategic partnership, and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. Standing at a new historical juncture, China is ready to work with Canada to carry forward our time-honored friendship and promote sound development of bilateral relations, uphold a correct view of World War II history, resolutely safeguard the post-war international order, firmly defend international fairness and justice, and jointly reject hegemonism and power politics in order to better contribute to world peace and shared prosperity.