Xi greets veterans at Victory Day gala stressing Chinese narrative of WWII
Reception marked 80th anniversary of the victory in the China ‘war of resistance’ against Japan
The hour-and-a-half commemorative gala began at 8pm Wednesday, with President Xi Jinping and members of the Politburo greeting several surviving Chinese veterans of World War II. Their handshakes drew warm applause, underscoring the evening’s emphasis on remembrance.
Xi Jinping greets WWII veterans with Putin and Kim
No foreign leaders attended the evening gala.
Titled “Justice Will Prevail”, the gala featured five themed programmes and 18 chapters, blending song, dance, poetry and drama. It depicted China’s 14-year struggle against Japanese aggression and its ultimate victory from the perspective of the Communist Party.
Several popular Chinese actors took part in the gala, which featured scenes reminiscent of the Communist Party’s headquarters, Yan'an, during the war years.
The gala opened with a scene in Northeast China in 1931, reiterating Beijing’s emphasis on the “Fourteen-Year War of Resistance” rather than the previous “Eight-Year War” narrative.