Commemorative Address at Victory Day Parade
Xi Jinping: "The Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation Is Unstoppable"
On September 3, Chinese President Xi Jinping stated, "Humanity today faces a choice between peace and war, and between dialogue and confrontation."
During his commemorative address at the 80th anniversary military parade for the 'Victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War' held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, President Xi emphasized, "History warns us that the destinies of humankind are closely interconnected," adding, "Once again, humanity is confronted with the need to choose between peace and war, dialogue and confrontation, and win-win cooperation or a zero-sum game."
He continued, "Only when all countries and peoples treat each other as equals, live in harmony, and help one another can we maintain collective security, eliminate the root causes of war, and prevent the repetition of historical tragedies." President Xi further stated, "The Chinese people will firmly stand on the right side of history and the progress of human civilization, adhere to the path of peaceful development, and work together with people from all nations to build a community with a shared future for mankind."
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and other dignitaries attended the 80th anniversary Victory Day military parade, joining President Xi atop the Tiananmen Gate. This gathering of leaders from North Korea, China, and Russia marks the first time in 66 years since the 1959 Beijing summit between the leaders of North Korea, China, and the Soviet Union.
He remarked, "The Chinese nation is self-reliant and resilient, unafraid of force," and added, "In the past, when faced with struggles for justice versus evil, light versus darkness, and progress versus reaction-matters of life and death-we resisted with common hatred, fighting for the survival and revival of our nation and for justice for humanity."
He also stated, "People of all ethnic groups across the country will uphold Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of the 'Three Represents,' and the Scientific Outlook on Development under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China," adding, "The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is unstoppable. The noble cause of peace and development for humanity will surely prevail."
In his commemorative address at the 70th anniversary parade of the victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in 2015, President Xi had made a surprise announcement regarding a reduction of 300,000 troops in the People's Liberation Army. However, in this year's speech, he made no mention of troop numbers.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
