Members of the international community, including U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, have recently commended China's contribution and sacrifice during World War II (WWII), as China prepares to celebrate the 70th anniversary of its victory in the War Against Japanese Aggression on Thursday.
"China's contribution and sacrifice during the Second World War is very much recognized. China is appreciated for all such sufferings, and sympathized by the world's people," Ban said at the U.N. headquarters.
In 1931, Japan invaded Northeast China, which turned into a full-scale invasion in 1937. By the time WWII was finished, over 35 million Chinese people had been killed or wounded.
Ban and 30 heads of state will be attending the upcoming celebrations commemorating the victory against Japan during WWII. These include Russian President Vladimir Putin and Republic of Korea President Park Geun-hye.
The centerpiece of the celebrations will be a grand military parade in Beijing on Sept. 3.
When asked about Japanese concern regarding his visit to China during the celebrations, Ban said that it is important for the world community to move forward and learn from the past.
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said that China's role in defeating Fascism deserves to be recognized. He added that China contributed to the greater Allied victory.
According to East Asian expert at St. Petersburg State University Nikolay Samoylov, China's contribution to the victory in WWII has been significantly underestimated until recent years. He added that the Chinese people need to be credited for facing Japanese aggression single-handedly in the early years of the war beginning 1931.
Internationally, WWII is considered to have started in 1939, several years after Japan had already invaded China.
According to Ukrainian historian Oleysiy Koval, China's resistance against Japan is an example of the nation's struggle for freedom.
"China's resistance to Japanese aggression can be called one of the most heroic and tragic pages of World War II," said Koval, who is a member of the Ukrainian Sinologists Association.