Chinese Consul General in Belfast Li Nan Publishes a Signed Article in the Irish News Titled “Remembering History, Creating a Brighter Future Together”

On September 9, Consul General Li Nan published a signed article titled "Remembering History, Creating a Brighter Future Together" in the Northern Ireland mainstream media the Irish News. The full text is as follows:

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. After 14 years of arduous and heroic struggle, the Chinese people achieved a great victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, standing shoulder to shoulder with all peace-loving peoples around the world in defeating fascism. Though China and the UK/Northern Ireland are thousands of miles apart, we share similar memories of history, the same joy in victory, and the same pursuit of peace. Today, as we commemorate this great victory, we do so to remember history, honor fallen heroes, cherish peace, and create a better future.

I. A Heroic Epic Written in Blood and Fire

In 1931, Japanese aggressors plotted the September 18th Incident and attacked China's Northeast, and the Chinese people rose in resistance, marking the beginning of the world's anti-fascist war. From the fierce resistance of the Chinese Northeast Volunteer Resistance Army to the total resistance after 1937, the Chinese military and civilians fought the enemy both on the center stage battlefield and backstage battlefield. The Battle of Shanghai shattered Japan's illusion of conquering China in three months. The victory at Pingxingguan in northeast China disproved the myth of the invincibility of the Japanese army. The Hundred-Regiment Campaign in northern China triggered a wave of counterattacks in occupied areas.

Over the 14 years of tenacious and bloody resistance, China suffered more than 35 million Chinese military and civilian casualties and huge property losses. Direct economic losses exceeded $100 billion, and indirect losses were as high as $500 billion. In this war that determined the fate of the Chinese nation, the Communist Party of China played an irreplaceable and central role, through outstanding political leadership, strategic vision, exemplary military action, and noble national spirit. It was the first to raise the banner of resistance, called for Chinese united front with the ruling Nationalist Party Government against Japanese aggression, relied closely on the people, and ignited national consciousness for salvation. This spirit of sacrifice and resilience forged the enduring and inspiring the great spirit of the War of Resistance.

II. China's Global Contribution as the main Eastern battlefield

China was the main Eastern battlefield of the World Anti-Fascist War, and the Chinese People's War of Resistance was a vital part of the World Anti-Fascist War, making a decisive contribution to final victory. China's resistance started the earliest, lasted the longest, involved the most enemy troops, and entailed the greatest sacrifices. Millions of troops were deployed on both sides; the battlefront stretched more than 1,800 kilometers across over 10 provinces, affecting a war area of 1.6 million square kilometers and involving 400 million people. China's battlefield eliminated more than 1.5 million Japanese troops-over 70% of Japan's total military casualties in WWII.

This battlefield greatly strengthened global anti-fascist cooperation and played a key role in building the international united front. China's staunch resistance disrupted Japan's plans to attack the Soviet Union from the north and delayed its southern advance into the Pacific.

At the darkest hour of China's war, with vast territories occupied, China dispatched its elite forces to form the Chinese Expeditionary Force and fight alongside British and other Allied forces in Myanmar, creating favorable conditions for Allied counteroffensives in Europe and the Pacific. Prime Minister Churchill once said that if China collapses, it would free at least fifteen, perhaps twenty, Japanese divisions that could then threaten India and the Middle East.

III. A Deep Friendship Forged in the Flames of War

Despite being on different fronts, China and the UK shared a common mission-to defend humanity against fascism and aggression. The fates of our peoples became deeply intertwined. The Chinese Expeditionary Force marched over 1,500 gruelling kilometers through the jungles of Myanmar to rescue British forces trapped by Japanese troops. Thousands of Chinese seamen served with quiet courage in perilous convoys. They braved the freezing Atlantic to deliver fuel and supplies to British forces on the front lines. In Zhoushan, Zhejiang, Chinese fishermen risked enemy fire to rescue 384 British survivors from the sinking Lisbon Maru, as demonstrated in a documentary released earlier this year.

China's War of Resistance also received sympathy and support from the British government and people. Across the UK, ordinary citizens formed aid organizations, held fundraisers, and sent donations to support the Chinese people. British youth George Hogg, once a reporter for The Manchester Guardian, journeyed to China, to provide schooling and shelter for displaced children, dedicating his youth, passion, and ultimately his life to China and the cause of justice.

The bond forged in the fires of war remains a lasting emotional connection that continues to underpin China-UK relations today.

IV. Taiwan's Return Is a Fruit of Victory and a Cornerstone of the Post-War Order

This year also marks the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's return to China. In 1943, the Cairo Declaration issued by China, the U.S., and the U.K. clearly stated that Taiwan, stolen by Japan in 1895 through an unequal treaty, would be returned to China. In 1945, the Potsdam Proclamation reaffirmed that "the terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out." On August 15, 1945, Japan accepted the Potsdam Proclamation and unconditionally surrendered, later signing its surrender instrument and pledging to fully implement the Proclamation.

These internationally binding documents confirmed China's sovereignty over Taiwan and laid the foundation of the post-war international order. In 1971, the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 reaffirmed that there is only one China in the world and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory.

The historical and legal facts of Taiwan being part of China are indisputable. Adhering to the one-China principle and opposing "Taiwan independence" is essential to safeguarding the outcomes of WWII and the postwar international order. Taiwan must and will be reunified. This is the common will of all Chinese people, and no person or force can stop it.

V. Standing on the Right Side of History, Embracing Peace and Development

This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. Over these eight decades, the world has witnessed profound and unprecedented changes. The world today is undergoing major changes unseen in a century, and humanity is confronted with immense challenges. Unilateralism, protectionism, and hegemonism are on the rise; tariff and trade wars have resurfaced; and the sword of war still hangs over us. Global peace and stability remain fragile. Again, humankind has come to a crossroads of unity or division, dialogue or confrontation, win-win cooperation or zero-sum games.

Both China and the UK are permanent members of the UNSC, and both are major powers shouldering international responsibility. The more turbulent and complex the international situation becomes, the more we must uphold and defend the authority of the UN, firmly uphold the UN-centered international system, the international order underpinned by international law, and the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

To counter the headwinds against peace and stability, Chinese President Xi Jinping has proposed to build a community with a shared future for humanity and put forward the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative, offering Chinese wisdom and solutions to global governance and challenges. China is committed to working with the international community to promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, striving together for a brighter future for all humankind.

Standing at a new historical starting point, and drawing on history while looking to the future, China is ready to work with the UK, including Northern Ireland, to reaffirm our commitment to partnership, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, carry forward our profound friendship, and deliver more win-win outcomes that benefit our peoples and contribute to the well-being of the world.