The much-awaited 80th anniversary celebration on Tiananmen Square to mark Victory Day ending World War II in the Pacific, exceeded expectations with regard to a Chinese gala celebration. President Xi Jinping greeted the VIP attendees one-by-one as they made way to their places on the viewing stand on the balcony overlooking Tiananmen. The last to come was Russian President Vladimir Putin, at which point Xi went together with Putin to the viewing stand, accompanied by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Putin stood to the right of Xi while Kim was on his left. The ceremonies began in the square with several groups of singers numbering in the thousands performing patriotic and other songs from the era of World War II.
In his speech, Xi underlined the role that China had played in defeating the Japanese as a “major contribution to the salvation of human civilization and the defense of world peace.” He also expressed his gratitude to those countries that had assisted China in that struggle, without naming the countries. He called on nations across the world to eliminate the root cause of war and prevent historical tragedies from recurring. Common security can only be safeguarded when nations across the world treat each other as equals, live in harmony, and mutually support one another, Xi said.
Xi warned that the world today is also facing a choice of war or peace, and that China is on the right side of history, the side of peace and human progress. He said that China will join hands with the rest of the world to build a community with a shared future for humanity. He stressed: “Humanity rises and falls together.”
