A symposium on the Global Governance Initiative and the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War is held in Nairobi, Kenya on Spet. 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Yahui)
NAIROBI, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- A symposium on the Global Governance Initiative and the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War was held in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi on Monday.
The event, convened by the Chinese Embassy in Kenya, brought together Chinese and Kenyan scholars to reflect on history and explore ways to strengthen global governance and peace.
Zhang Zhizhong, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Kenya, said China commemorated the anniversary with a grand rally and military parade in Beijing last week, attended by hundreds of thousands of citizens, more than 20 foreign leaders, and many international guests.
He stressed that the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression began the earliest and lasted the longest, during which China suffered 35 million casualties and made an indelible contribution to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War.
"To remember history is not to foster hatred, but to prevent its tragic recurrence," Zhang said, emphasizing that safeguarding the outcomes of World War II (WWII) and the post-war international order requires defending multilateralism and opposing unilateralism and bullying practices.
He noted that the Global Governance Initiative reflects China's commitment to sovereign equality, international law, and multilateral cooperation, providing a roadmap for reforming global governance.
Peter Kagwanja, president and chief executive of the Africa Policy Institute, said China's victory in WWII ended over a century of foreign occupation and humiliation, restoring its status as a major power and inspiring colonized peoples in Africa and beyond to fight for independence.
He said Chinese resistance tied down large Japanese forces, bought critical time for the Allies, and demonstrated the decisive role of the Global South in the common victory against fascism.
Kagwanja also said China's recent commemorations, including the military parade, serve as a reminder that the Global South was central to the struggle and must now be central in shaping a more just and equitable international order.
He added that the Global Governance Initiative is part of China's efforts to inject fairness and inclusivity into the global system, alongside other initiatives such as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative.
Gao Wei, president of the Kenya Overseas Chinese Association and the China Council for the Promotion of Peaceful National Reunification in Kenya, said remembering the war is a solemn moment of reflection, stressing that aggression brings disaster and peace must never be taken for granted.
Patrick Maluki, chair of the Department of Diplomacy and International Studies at Nairobi University, said the symposium reminds the world that past sacrifices provide lessons for shared responsibility today.
While Western contributions are often highlighted, the role of China and the Global South in defeating fascism should not be forgotten, and their voices should be heard in reforming global governance, Maluki added. ■
A symposium on the Global Governance Initiative and the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War is held in Nairobi, Kenya on Spet. 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Yahui)