CGTN: V-Day gala honors history, promotes path of peace
BEIJING, Sept. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- China held a commemorative gala Wednesday night marking the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. CGTN covered the event with an article that delves into the 14-year epic struggle, paying tribute to the fallen heroes and reflecting on a painful past. The article also emphasized that remembering history is not about spreading hatred, but about upholding peace and creating a better future.
Eighty-two years ago, in Liulaozhuang Village, east China's Jiangsu Province, 82 Chinese soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice to protect local villagers by fending off an overwhelming Japanese force 20 times their strength. Upon hearing the news of their deaths, the villagers selected 82 young men to join the company of soldiers, earning the village the title of "Heroic Liulaozhuang Village."
This historic moment was brought to life through a program titled "The Immortal Liulaozhuang" during the commemorative gala marking the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, which was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday evening.
The gala, themed "Remembering History, Honoring Fallen Heroes, Cherishing Peace, and Looking into the Future," lasted about 90 minutes. It featured songs and dance performances that traced pivotal moments in China's 14-year-long resistance against Japanese aggression, bringing to life the stories of an arduous fight that served as the central Eastern theater of the World Anti-Fascist War.
Featuring Chinese military and civilian's resistance against a much stronger Japanese army, the programs depicted the great spirit of resistance nurtured during the war, exemplified by the Chinese people's belief that the fate of the nation is their responsibility, their unshakeable faith in national integrity that empowered them to never yield in the face of certain death, a heroism that instilled them the courage to fight to the very end, and an unyielding, indomitable belief in victory.
Besides commemorating and paying tribute to the historic events and heroes, the programs, which span China's development over the past 80 years, also celebrated the country's achievements in past decades and expressed the yearning and vision for the new era of China to forge ahead in pursuing a better life from the depths of history.
Carrying forward the spirit of resistance
A large number of young directors and screenwriters born in the 1990s participated in the creation by directing and producing some of the programs in the gala, expounding on the spirit of resistance in their eyes.
However, just as the youth were at the forefront of China's fight against aggression, so too are they in the forefront of keeping the spirit of resilience and resistance alive today.
More than half of the performers were young people in their early 20s, who gained a deeper understanding of their predecessors' sacrifice, the spirit of resistance and the importance of cherishing peace.
Today, China has embarked on its journey to pursue Chinese modernization on all fronts, which requires more and more Chinese people, especially the youth, to carry on the spirit of resistance, unleash their greatest passion and dedicate their strength and abilities to strive for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
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