Guo Weimin:

Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the press, good morning! Welcome to this State Council Information Office press conference. We are gathered here today to hold the sixth press conference on the 70th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. I will host the press conference and give you some basic information. Mr. Zhang Ming, deputy foreign minister, Mr. Dong Wei, deputy cultural minister, Mr. He Yafei, vice minister of Overseas Chinese Affairs of the State Council, and Major General Qu Rui, deputy chief of the Operations Department of the General Staff Headquarters, and deputy director of the Office of the Parade Steering Group Office, and who attended a related press conference before, will brief you on the commemoration activities and answer your questions.

Now I will briefly summarize some general information about the 70th anniversary of the victory of Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War and the preparation work.

A commemoration meeting and military parade will be held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on Sept.3. A grand reception will be held at noon at the Great Hall of the People where the Communist Party of China (CPC) and state leaders will gather with guests from home and abroad to commemorate the 70th anniversary of theWar of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. In the evening, a grand performance will be held at the Great Hall of the People to revisit the remarkable historical process of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.

On the morning of Sept. 2, the Central Committee of the CPC, the State Council and the Central Military Commission will award veterans, CPC members and anti-Fascist war leaders or their surviving family members with commemorative medals. The medals will be given to the following five groups of people: first, living veterans who had fought in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and those from the Eighth Route Army, the New Fourth Army, the CPC-led South China anti-Japanese guerrillas, the Northeastern Anti-Japanese United Army, and guerillas from other places; second, living Party members who worked in places outside the war zone or underground under the leadership of the CPC during the war; third, veterans and Party members who had fought during the war under the leadership of the Kuomintang and later joined the revolutionary work or joined the CPC-led army during the period of the Liberation War (1945-1950) or returned to their hometowns to do farm work; fourth, patriots from China and abroad who had contributed to the victory of the war and representative army leaders during the war; fifth, foreign representatives who contributed to the victory of the war. Veterans who died after Jan. 1, 2015 will also be awarded. General Secretary Xi Jinpingwill give out the medals himself, demonstrating the care and love the Central Committee has for the veterans, Party members and army leaders who fought during the war.

The preparation work is going smoothly and we are almost ready for the upcoming commemoration. A thorough rehearsal of the commemoration was held from the night of Aug. 22 to the morning of Aug. 23 and achieved great results.

The commemoration has drawn great attention from the international community and has received a positive response from home and abroad. Related foreign state leaders, high-ranking officials, heads of international organizations and envoys from foreign embassies in China will attend the commemoration. In addition, some foreign armies will participate in the military parade; they have arrived at and settled in the parade training base and joined in the trainings. Foreign armies that will observe the parade have also arrived. Representatives from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), the Macao SAR and Taiwan, representative overseas Chinese, foreign friends and their surviving family members who contributed to the victory in the war, and patriots, army leaders or representatives of their surviving family members from both China and abroad will also attend the commemoration meeting. Officials from related departments will provide more information on that later.

Both officials and ordinary people have expressed their appreciation and support for the commemoration. Many have given their thumbs up via the Internet, WeChat and Weibo, showing that they are inspired by the country's prosperity and that they take pride in being Chinese. During the parade rehearsal, many netizens posted or forwarded photos of the rehearsal on the Internet and WeChat. Many of them described the parade as "breathtaking" and "grand and magnificent." Some said the parade rehearsal "inspired the ordinary people and demonstrated military and national prestige;" and some others commented online with the words "a salute to the Chinese army and best wishes to the motherland." They were also convinced that the commemoration meeting and military parade on Sept. 3 will be more remarkable. They think that the commemoration is significant in that it displays China's historical contribution to the World Anti-Fascist War, demonstrates the country's faith and resolve in sticking to the road of peaceful development, carries forward the spirit of resisting against Japanese aggression, inspires patriotic enthusiasm, and accumulates positive energy for the country's development. The general public, especially Beijing citizens, support the necessary measures taken on commemoration-related traffic and public security and look forward to the meeting and parade. Besides commemoration activities in Beijing, other regions and departments have also combined the local history of the war and held their own distinctive activities to mark the anniversary.

That is what I have to say, and now let's welcome Deputy Foreign Minister Zhang Ming to give you more information on the attendance of foreign state leaders.

Zhang Ming:

Thanks Mr. Guo. Ladies and gentlemen, good morning! In about a week, on Sept. 3, a ceremony to mark the 70th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, as well as the World's Anti-Fascist War will be held in Beijing. All of you are interested in the foreign guests who will attend the event. The Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression is an important part of the World's Anti-Fascist War, which started the earliest, lasted the longest time, and involved the largest sacrifices. China was a member of the Allies of World War II, and was a main battlefield during the war. The Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression lasted 14 years. About 35 million Chinese soldiers and civilians were killed or injured. The Chinese troops resisted and contained the majority of the Japanese armed forces, providing support and coordination for battlefields in Europe and the Pacific. The war was a great sacrifice for the victory in the World's Anti-Fascist War. It also received powerful support from the other Allies.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, as well as the World's Anti-Fascist War, so the Chinese people will hold a solemn commemoration. Therefore, we have invited those countries and foreign friends who are connected with the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World's Anti-Fascist War, to commemorate with us together. The purpose of the ceremony is to remember history, recall the martyrs, cherish peace and look to the future. I'd like to emphasize again that the event will not target any country, nor today's Japan, nor the Japanese people. The Chinese government has already sent out our invitations, and we have received a wide response and support from the international community. So far, 49 countries have confirmed their attendance, including 30 heads of state and government leaders, 19 senior representatives, and 10 heads of international and regional organizations.

Next, I will summarize the leaders and senior representatives who will attend the Sept. 3 event to you in alphabetical order based on the initial letter of their country's name in English.

The 30 heads of state and government leaders include: Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Dragan Covic, King of Cambodia Norodom Sihamoni, Czech President Milos Zeman, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Joseph Kabila, Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Kyrgyzstan's President Almazbek Atambayev, Lao President Choummaly Sayasone, Mongolian President Elbegdorj Tsakhia, Myanmar President Thein Sein, President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain, South Korean President Park Geun-hye, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic, South African President Jacob Zuma, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, East Timor's President Taur Matan Ruak, Uzbekistan's President Islam Karimov, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang, Ethiopia's Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe, Vanuatu's Prime Minister Sato Kilman, Argentine Vice-President Amado Boudou, First Vice President of the Council of State of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel, President of the Council of Nation of Algeria Abdelkader Bensalah, Marshal of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland Malgorzata Kidawa-Blonska, Member of the Politburo Presidium and Secretariat of the Workers' Party of Korea Choe Ryong-hae, and Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwan.

The nineteen senior representatives from foreign governments attending the event are: Minister of the Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs Michael Ronaldson, Brazilian Defense Minister Jacques Wagner, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, Indian Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy Paolo Gentiloni, Libyan Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Dairi, the Malaysian Prime Minister's Special Envoy to China Ong Ka Ting, Netherlands' Minister of State Herman Tjeenk Willink, Tunisian Minister of Defense Farhat Horchani, Former Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand Don McKinnon, Former Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore Wong Kan Seng and Former Justice Secretary of Britain Kenneth Clarke.

Canada, Germany, Luxembourg, Papua New Guinea, the United States and the European Union will send their ambassadors in China to attend the ceremony.

The ten heads of international and regional organizations attending are: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Head of the WHO Margaret Chan, Director-General of UNESCO Irina Bokova, Director General of the UNIDO Li Yong, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer, Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Dmitry Fyodorovich Mezentsev, Director of Executive Committee of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure Zhang Xinfeng, Executive Secretary of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Sergey Lebedev, Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Nikolay Bordyuzha and Executive Director of the CICA Secretariat Gong Jianwei.

There will also be six former leaders attending: German Ex-Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, Former Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama, Former President of the Philippines Joseph Estrada, Former Captain Regent of San Marino Gianfranco Terenzi, Former President of East Timor Jose Ramos-Horta and Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Tony Blair.

Foreign diplomatic envoys to China and representatives of international organizations to China are also invited to attend.

In addition, we have also invited foreigners who made contributions or sacrifices in the war. The Chinese nation is a nation of friendship and gratitude. The Chinese people will never forget those friends who came to China 70 years ago, supported or participated in, or even sacrificed their lives for the war. Although the majority of them couldn't come to China in person due to their age or health, more than 100 foreign friends including relatives of those wartime heroes will still attend the event. Among them are veterans from the "Flying Tigers", the Soviet Red Army, and the Japanese veterans who served in the Eighth Route Army, an anti-Japanese force; relatives of Dr. Norman Bethune and Dr. Dwarkanath Kotnis, and those friends who helped the Chinese people in Nanjing Massacre.

In a word, we will commemorate the anniversary together with our foreign guests to remember the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the peace, dignity and freedom of humanity, mourn the victims of the war, promote world peace and development, as well as build a brighter future for ourselves on the basis of reviewing World War II.

Thank you!

Host Guo Weimin:

Now, I would like to invite Major General Qu Rui to give us a brief introduction regarding the foreign troops invited to participate in the commemoration activities.

Qu Rui:

Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the media, good morning!

First of all, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation and best wishes to all those attending this press conference, as well as friends from all walks of life supporting the parade. I will give a brief introduction regarding foreign troop participation in the military parade marking the 70th anniversary of the victory of Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, victories people all around the world can and do celebrate. The participation of foreign formations and representative teams is an outstanding feature of the military parade. They are a manifestation of the internationalism involved in the victory over World fascism. It also showcases the pursuit of and aspirations for enduring world peace, as well as the high level of military strategic cooperation between China and the countries involved.

Previously, we have sent invitations to concerned countries for the dispatch of formations and representative teams to participate in the parade, and military delegations to attend the ceremony. Up to now, 11 countries have responded positively, namely Belarus, Cuba, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Mexico, Mongolia, Pakistan, Serbia, Tajikistan, and Russia. Six countries have dispatched representative teams to attend the parade, namely Afghanistan, Cambodia, Fiji, Laos, Vanuatu and Venezuela. A total of 31 countries have confirmed they will send high-level military delegations to attend the parade, including the aforementioned 17 countries, plus Ethiopia, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Uzbekistan, Iran, France, Sudan, Poland, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, and the Republic of Korea. Here I would like to extend our warm welcome to all of them.

The total number of officers and men forming the foreign formations and representative teams is nearly 1,000. They will take part in the march-past. Each formation is composed of about 75 officers and men, while each representative team has an average seven members. They will be placed between the Chinese foot units and the formations of military equipment in alphabetical order based on the initial letter of their country's name in English.

At present, the formations and representative teams of the 17 countries I have mentioned have all settled down in the parade training base. Basic training and various rehearsals have been conducted. On Aug. 20 and 23, the foreign troops participated in the technical rehearsal and dress rehearsal held in the parade training base and in the Tian'anmen area respectively with good results. Next, we will conduct further training with higher requirements.

During the stay of the foreign troops in China, we fully respect the customs, cultural traditions and religions of different countries, and have made good arrangements for their accommodation. We take cultural exchanges as an important channel for enhancing friendship, and have arranged various events such as special art performances, etc. To mark the commemoration we plan to issue a souvenir plaque to each formation and representative team, and a medal for each individual foreign participant.

We firmly believe that, the commemoration activities will help enhance the mutual trust, develop the friendship and promote cooperation between the PLA and the foreign troops participating in the parade.

This is the end of my briefing. Thank you all!

Host Guo Weimin:

Next, Mr. He Yafei, deputy director of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, will talk about the preparation work of inviting overseas Chinese to attend the memorial activities.

He Yafei:

Friends from the press, the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, as a war of justice across the whole nation, was the first time the Chinese people achieve a sweeping victory in a war of national liberation since we combated invaders in modern times. It was the unprecedented power created by all the Chinese people both nationwide and overseas that formed a strong force, awakening the slumbering masses and reaching unparalleled unity to guarantee the final victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. Looking back over the events of 70 years ago, we should pay tribute to the overseas Chinese, the specific group who we should be proud of. They deserve glory in the splendid cause. The Chinese people will remember the heroic exploits of their patriotic countrymen living abroad forever.

In line with the general plan and work divisions made by the Memorial Activity Working Group of CPC Central Committee, the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council and the China Overseas Exchange Association are in charge of inviting and organizing overseas Chinese representatives to attend the memorial activities and observe the military parade.

We started the selection work in May this year. We followed a series of principles: We should show more consideration to those who were involved in the war, and we also need to consider their nationalities, and their different industrial sectors and age groups. We tried to invite those who made great contributions to the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, the　development of the Chinese nation, the peaceful unity and in facilitating exchanges and cooperation between China and foreign countries. Those who have great political influence, social status, economic power and high attainments are highly expected to be invited. During the process, more than 200 Chinese embassies and consulates in over 130 countries recommended many candidates, taking these principles into account. Then, after the strict selection procedure, we finally invited 1,779 overseas Chinese guests from some 120 countries and regions to take part in the activities.

It is a great honor for overseas Chinese to attend the event. It also shows that the CPC and the government attaches great importance to overseas Chinese and highly values the contributions they made in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and national development. Among the guests, five renowned and venerable representatives, namely Xie Guomin, Chen Yongzai, Zhu Jingwu, Liang Youcheng and Hui Jingzai, will be invited to mount the Tian'anmen rostrum to observe the military parade and attend the reception. Some 400 overseas Chinese representatives will be invited to watch performances at the Great Hall of the People. All the overseas Chinese guests will attend the military parade on Sept. 3.

A photo exhibition with the theme of "Overseas Chinese and the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression -- Remembering the 70th Anniversary of the Victory" will be held on the afternoon of September 3 at the hotel where the guests will be staying. A documentary film named "Great Wall of One Blood -- Overseas Chinese and the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression" will also be screened then at the same place. The Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council welcomes all the guests to take part in the activities.

The invitation shows that the CPC and the government place great emphasis on the historical contributions made by overseas Chinese. I believe all the overseas Chinese will continue to promote the fine traditions and make greater contributions to the Chinese Dream of rejuvenating the nation. Thank you.

Host Guo Weimin:

Now let's invite Dong Wei, vice minister of the Ministry of Culture, to outline the preparations for the commemorative gala.

Dong Wei:

Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. On behalf of the gala preparation leading group, I will give you a brief introduction to "Victory and Peace," the gala commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the end of World War II.

According to the arrangement of the central government, a commemorative gala jointly organized by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, the Ministry of Culture, the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, the People's Liberation Army General Political Department, and the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, is to be staged at the Great Hall of the People on the night of Sept. 3. More than 6,000 people, including top CPC leaders in Beijing, foreign heads of state and politicians attending the V-Day celebrations, as well as representatives from international organizations, veterans, and various circles in the capital, are expected to watch the display.

The commemorative gala is one of the most important activities marking the 70th anniversary of the victory in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. Our central leaders have placed great attention on the gala and have set out specific requirements regarding to its production and rehearsal. With the theme of "Remembering history, cherishing the memory of China's revolutionary martyrs, upholding peace and creating the future," the show will highlight the significant role the Chinese People's War against Japanese Aggression played as the main eastern battlefield in the World Anti-Fascist War, and the decisive role the Communist Party of China played in the total resistance against Japanese aggression by the whole nation.

On receiving orders from the central government, we immediately started the preparation work for the gala. In February, a creative team composed of well-known artists was formed. In early March, the production of the gala was formally launched. The gala's leading group seriously studied General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Xi Jinping's speeches regarding the V-Day commemorations, and became devoted to the gala's creation with a high sense of political responsibility and historical mission. The show plan was amended 30 times, after numerous reviews. We started rehearsing in early July and despite the heat waves, all the staff are gearing up for the performance with the Spirit of the Chinese People's War against Japanese Aggression.

The 90-minute gala will present the 14-year process of the Chinese People's War against Japanese Aggression and the progress the Chinese people have made while pursuing peace and development over the past seven decades. Entitled "Victory and Peace," the gala will take the main eastern battlefield as an important historic node and background, demonstrate the first shot China fired in the War against Japanese Aggression as the main eastern battlefield in the World Anti-Fascist War, and show how the Chinese people built the community of common destiny after a hard-won victory, and create a better future while sticking to peaceful development. Chorus, chorus leading, ensembles, symphonies, folk music, theatrical performances, dance, poetry recitation, and multi-media will all feature in the gala. All these factors together bring back the significant events during the Chinese People's War against Japanese Aggression, eulogizing the Chinese people's pursuit of the dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. In order to achieve an epic effect that is vigorous, grand and magnificent, the gala will highlight the Chinese manner, Chinese style, and the Chinese spirit.

There are eight innovations in the gala. First, content innovation. The gala is composed of 19 programs, and 22 musical works. Among them, 18 classic musical works were adapted and four are newly created. Second, structural innovation. There are six parts in the gala. It starts with the present day V-Day event, and ends with the future peaceful community of common destiny. Its introduction is called "Victory," and the other three sections are "Bloody Battle," "Force of Justice," and "Dream of Peace." In a whole, history is vertically reviewed while the theme is furthered. Third, subject innovation. The Hundred Regiments Campaign, the Chinese expeditionary force in Myanmar, and the Nanjing Massacre will be represented for the first time. Fourth, form innovation. Unlike the conventional form of song with dance, or dance with song, scene play is being adopted. Singing, dancing, performance, and music will be integrated, presenting more vivid characters and creating an epic style. Fifth, music innovation. The programs are seamlessly connected and breathtaking. Sixth, stage innovation. The stepped and removable stage will help create "real" scenes of battles and life. Seventh, video innovation. Echoing the stage performance, large quantity of videos and pictures are selected, recreating historical scenes. Eighth, crew innovation. The main staff is composed of excellent artists from state level art schools and troupes. Some are state-run troupes, some are under the army, and some are privately operated. There are soldiers, primary school students, middle school students, and college students. Among the 3,000 staff, the oldest person is 85 years old and the youngest is six, giving the impression that the whole nation is celebrating victory and eulogizing world peace.

That's everything I want to say about the gala. Thank you everybody.

Guo Weimin:

It seems that the TV gala will also be something to look forward to. Now the floor is open. Please identify the media outlet you are representing when raising your questions.

China Daily:

I have a question for Deputy Foreign Minister Zhang Ming. Recently, some foreign media reported that China aims to show its national power by holding commemorations to mark the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. They doubt whether China will really adhere to the path of peaceful development. Do you have any comment on those concerns, Minister Zhang?

Zhang Ming:

In modern times, China has suffered greatly from foreign aggressions. For a long time, the Chinese people have held the deepest desire to eliminate wars and enjoy peace. China has made it clear from the very beginning that we are holding these commemoration activities in order to remember history, cherish the revolutionary martyrs, hold a firm stance on peace, and look to the future. Just now, I outlined the foreign guests who will attend China's V-Day celebrations at the invitation of the Chinese government. You may notice that these guests come from all continents and are widely representative. This indicates that the Chinese people and the people of the world have a high degree of consensus and a common will to remember history and uphold peace. What is actually being shown is the desire for peace and the strong will to uphold peace from both the Chinese people and the international community.

From the objective judgment on the history, reality and future, the Chinese people have come to the conclusion and have made the strategic choice that China will adhere to the path of peaceful development. Historical facts have proven that China is the defender, builder and contributor of regional and world peace. I believe that China's peaceful development will continue to get wide understanding, support and the blessing of people all over the world. We hope that other countries can also adhere to the path of peaceful development together with China. Thank you!

CCTV:

My question is for Qu Rui, deputy chief of the Operations Department of the General Staff Headquarters of People's Liberation Army. Have we sent invitations to the armies of the United States, Japan and North Korea for the military parade? According to what you just introduced, these countries will not send representatives to the event. Does this mean that they reserve judgment on China's role in the World Anti-Fascist War?

Qu Rui:

Thank you for your question. We have invited some relevant countries to attend our commemoration activities marking the 70th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression as well as the World Anti-Fascist War. Our aim is to remember the victory day together with people from all over the world, a day when justice defeats evil, light prevails over darkness and progress triumphs over the reactionary. It fully demonstrates the international nature of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War as well as China's determination and will to build a world of lasting peace.

Seventeen countries across every continent -- Asia, Europe, Africa, Oceania and America– will dispatch formations or representative teams to march in the parade. Thirty-one countries have also promised to send high-level military delegations to attend China's V-Day celebrations on Sept. 3. This fully indicates that they hold the same position and opinion on China's commemorations marking the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War. As the main eastern battlefield in the world's anti-Fascist war, China played a decisive role in soundly defeating the Japanese invaders. China's anti-Japanese war started the earliest, lasted the longest time, caused the largest sacrifices and pinned down the largest number of Japanese military forces.

History is history. It will not be changed by the attitude of certain countries. We respect countries' choices over whether to come or not, and we will extend our warmest welcome to all the foreign troops and delegations that have decided to come.

Thank you!

Asahi Shimbun:

I have two questions for Vice Minister Zhang Ming. First, concerning the purpose of the commemorative activities, is China satisfied with the scale of foreign delegations agreeing to participate? And, since Russia is the only UN Security Council member that has agreed to send its top leader, what's China's comment on that? My second question is this: are there foreign leaders who have agreed to come to the commemorations but who will skip the military parade?

Zhang Ming:

My briefing just now should have left you with the deep impression that the foreign guests attending our commemorative activities come from a broad range of countries across the world. The commemorations marking the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War is a happy event for us, and we have invited the international community to celebrate the day with us. Anyone who wants to come will be treated as an honored guest, greeted with respect and a warm welcome. Thank you.

China News Service:

My question is for Vice Cultural Minister Dong Wei. You mentioned just now that the celebration evening gala has "victory" and "peace" as the keywords. Could you please explain a bit more the implications of these themes?

Dong Wei:

The evening gala is specially prepared to reflect the overall commemorations marking the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. At the same time, the commemorative activities have chosen a theme of "remember history, cherish the memory of martyrs, cherish peace and create a good future." Thus, we named the gala as "Victory and Peace". This is a reminiscence of history apart from showing how victory is associated with peace – that the people of China and other countries had to go through bloody battles before winning final victory to mark a new era of world peace; cherishing and defending peace means to cherish and defend the fruits of victory.

The evening gala will focus on the theme involving 16 characters in Chinese, while highlighting "victory" and "peace" are the keywords for short. We have even composed several new performances for the event, such as the "Song of Victory" at the beginning and the "Peace – Shared Fate" that will conclude the gala. The rehearsals are being carried out smoothly; all the elements basically have been settled. We held a full rehearsal on Aug. 19, which was quite satisfactory.

The evening gala will certainly be worth watching. We have made fully preparations for public review. We will try our best to present you a satisfying performance, living up to the expectation of the Party and the people. Thank you!

Global Times:

Japan said its Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, would not attend the parade. The list of foreign government leaders attending the parade you just released confirms this. What's your comment on Japanese leader's absence? At the beginning of the press conference, you said that the parade was not intended to target any third party, and that included Japan and the Japanese people, but some foreign media consider this a mere gesture and, in fact, a warning to Japan. What's your opinion on how to achieve true reconciliation between the two countries?

Zhang Ming:

We have seen Japanese reports on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's absence to the commemorative events due to the "congressional affairs". This year marks the 70th anniversary of Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, as well as the World Anti-Fascist War. The Chinese government is holding the events to review history, honor the war heroes, call for peace and seek to promote a brighter future. We have stressed on several occasions that the events didn't target any other country, including today's Japan, not to mention the ordinary Japanese people. The events have no bearing on current China-Japan relations. We will, as always, continue to seek to improve and develop China-Japan relations on the basis of the four political documents issued by the two countries.

Reuters:

Western countries like the UK, the United States and France are not planning to send high-level representatives to attend the parade. Do you think this constitutes a humiliation for the Chinese government?

Zhang Ming:

Actually, I have answered this question just now. We invited foreign countries to attend the events and celebrate this most significant day with all the Chinese people, but it's up to them to decide whom they want to send for the occasion. As far as the Chinese people are concerned, all those who come will be our guests and be warmly welcomed. Thank you.

Ta Kung Pao:

I have a question for Mr. He Yafei from the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council. More than 1,700 overseas Chinese people are being invited to attend the events. Could you tell us what major contributions the overseas Chinese made during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War?

He Yafei:

China Central Television is currently airing a documentary on the role of overseas Chinese in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. There are three episodes, available on the News Channel describing the major contributions overseas Chinese people made. I hope you can watch them.

Generally speaking, the overseas Chinese made four major contributions. First, they established many anti-Japanese aggression organizations. During the war, overseas Chinese people remained committed to the motherland and made unceasing efforts in fighting imperialism. To resist Japanese aggression and save China, they stood together against the enemy regardless of their origin, or whatever political party or clique to which they might belong. There used to be a maximum of some 3,940 anti-Japanese organizations around the world, with famous patriotic overseas Chinese leaders like Tan Kah Kee, Situ Meitang, Kuang Bingshun, Yi Guangyan and Li Qingquan. Due to their efforts, tens of millions of overseas Chinese people united together and became a main supporting force to the Chinese people fighting Japanese invaders at home.

Second, they made huge donations in cash and kind. During the war, overseas Chinese people raised funds for Chinese army through various means like making donations, holding charity shows and charity sales, remitting money from overseas, and purchasing treasury bonds. The total amount of their donations was impressive. They played an important role in covering China's military budget, reducing deficits and supporting national economy in wartime. There are some figures that I'd like to share with you. According to historical government statistics, during wartime, overseas Chinese people donated more than 1.3 billion Yuan of fabi, the currency issued by the Kuomintang government, and remitted more than 9.5 billion back home. The money made up 43 percent of China's military budget at that time. During the war, there were about eight million Chinese people living overseas and about half made donations to aid the war. The overseas Chinese also purchased treasury bonds worth 1.1 billion Yuan of fabi, accounting for over one-third of the total bonds issued by the Chinese government during wartime. The bonds were not repaid after the war, so it was kind of donation. Besides, the overseas Chinese had played an active role in supporting China's domestic economic development. They invested a total of 1.6 billion Yuan of fabi and established many enterprises to cope with China's needs in war.

Third, they returned home to fight the enemy. Many overseas Chinese people gave up their comfortable life in foreign countries and returned home to join the army. They organized various corps, such as engineering corps, ambulance corps, service corps and press corps, to help fight the war. In the United States alone, more than 40,000 people of Guangdong descent returned home. Many Chinese pilots in the United States, Canada, Philippines and other countries returned home to join the Chinese troops. In the United States, more than 300 pilots chose to return. About three fourths of the Chinese fighter jet pilots were overseas returnees. They constituted the backbone of Chinese air force.

One more thing to be noted is that after Japanese invaders launched full-scale war in China, China's connection with the outside world was nearly completely cut off. The only route connecting foreign countries was an emergency road built between southwest China's Yunnan Province and Myanmar, and drivers and vehicles were badly needed. Led by Mr. Tan Kah Kee, the South Seas China Relief Fund Union recruited more than 3,900 Chinese drivers and maintainers from overseas. They took 450,000 tons of supplies to the frontline. About 1,800 people died during this process.

Fourth, they took an active part in the Anti-Fascist War in the countries where they lived. Overseas Chinese people organized many anti-Japanese aggression forces in Malaysia, Philippines and other countries. They also achieved significant successes in the Anti-Fascist War on the American continent. In 1941, the South Seas China Relief Fund Union organized a troop of more than 1,000 volunteer soldiers. In the Malaysian Anti-Japanese Army, more than 1,000 Chinese soldiers were killed. In Europe, Africa and other corners of the world, overseas Chinese joined local wars actively. Take the United States for instance, more than 13,000 Chinese people joined the U.S. Army. They accounted for over one-fifth of the total male Chinese population in America.

Mainichi Daily, Japan:

Would you please explain the absence of Kim Jong Un, leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), from the guest list of the upcoming commemorative event?

Zhang Ming:

China welcomes the DPRK delegation led by Choe Ryong Hae, a member of political bureau of the central committee and secretary of Worker's Party of Korea to attend the commemorative event and we will do our best to make concrete arrangements for the delegation's stay. Thanks!

Phoenix Satellite TV:

We learn from the Republic of Korea media that Kim Jong Un refused China's invitation to visit China, so can we ask whether China, in fact, has invited Kim? Did he explain to China why he would not come but instead sends Choe? Will there be any possibilities for bilateral talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Choe during Choe's stay in Beijing?

Zhang Ming:

We sent our invitations to the countries concerned. We welcome the DPRK delegation led by Choe, a member of political bureau of the central committee and secretary of Worker's Party of Korea. We hope China and DPRK can continuously push forward friendship and cooperative relations by inheriting longstanding traditions, opening to future, ensuring a good neighborhood and enhancing cooperation. Thanks!

Beijing TV Station:

I have a question for Deputy Director Qu. As is being highlighted at the press release material, the foreign military delegation joining in the V-Day parade has settled down at the training base. Therefore, we would like to know how will you communicate with those foreign delegations as well as the troops designated to join in the formations of the parade.

Qu Rui:

The splendid 5,000-year history and culture of the Chinese people has been a luminous pearl in world cultural heritage. Enhanced cultural communication has been an important bridge to extend friendship to foreign countries as well as a platform for ensuring solidarity, coordination and the completion of the V-Day parade. The foreign delegations have huge enthusiasm towards China's traditional culture. Therefore, they can not only realize the history of China's Anti-Japanese Aggression War [through the commemoration], but also understand China's culture and history as we are ready to hold symposia on the actual situation of China, military conditions, martial arts, calligraphy and painting. We also plan to show them around. Besides, there are galas, shows staged by high-quality troupes, some ball games, swimming and gymnastics training scheduled for them. Moreover, we have launched foreign language TV broadcasts for the foreign troops and organized activities for the foreign military and non-military delegations to join, in attempt to enrich their spare time. Thank you!

Anchorman Guo Weimin:

That ends today's press conference. The news center for the commemorative event has been established for journalists to better understand the information concerned and provide quality reports. The center, open from Aug. 27, welcomes the journalists to gather their information there. That is all for today. Thank you all!

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