BEIJING -- Seventy years ago today, Nazi Germany signed an unconditional surrender, ending the European conflict in World War II.
At this special moment, all peace-loving people around the world should remember the history and safeguard the international order with the UN at the core while promoting global peace and development in the contemporary world.
This year is an important one of special historic significance, as it marks the 70th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, and Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, as well as the founding of the United Nations (UN).
Seventy years ago, the barbarian aggression wars waged by German fascists and Japanese militarists were a "dark page" in human history. More than 80 countries and regions and about two billion people in Asia, Europe, Africa and Oceania were engulfed in war flames and suffered grave disaster.
As a main battlefield in Asia, China made indelible contributions to the anti-fascist war as it held back Japanese aggression at tremendous costs, including 35 million casualties, which supported the war efforts of the allied powers in European and Pacific battlefields.
As the victorious outcome of WWII, the international order with the UN as the core has guaranteed the global peace and development over the past 70 years after the war, and that should be cherished and safeguarded.
The Cairo Declaration issued on Dec. 1, 1943 by China, the United States and Britain remains a cornerstone to shape the postwar order of East Asia. So does the Potsdam Proclamation.
Any attempt to challenge the international order based on the two documents is doomed to fail.
Though at present the world is experiencing complicated and profound changes, the nature of WWII and the historic significance of its victory concluded by the UN Charter and other international documents are absolutely beyond dispute and do not allow being tampered with.
However, the Japanese government under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has not faced up the history when the country committed heinous systematic war crimes seven decades ago, while still playing the shameful dodging game on war history.
Most recently, Abe voiced at the U.S. Capitol "deep remorse" over Japan's "actions" before and during WWII that "brought suffering" to other Asian countries, continuing to water down the country's wartime atrocities.
The increasingly strident nationalist leader owes a heartfelt apology to Asian neighbors victimized by the oriental fascist country's brutal aggression and colonial rule during WWII.
At a time when the world is celebrating the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII, Abe should be discreet in word and deed, and should really take the golden opportunity to reach out to his neighbors with honor and dignity.
To forget the past means to betray, to tamper with history means the start to follow the same disastrous road.
All peace-loving nations and people should cherish the hard-won lasting peace, maintain the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and push forward the construction of a new type of international relations centered on win-win cooperation.
