The V-Day parade in Beijing " reminds us of the great battles and heroic sacrifices made by the Chinese people, as well as strengthens their resolve never to allow a repeat of the cruel and savage acts of aggression by foreign powers," Kerry Group Chairman Robert Kuok said during an interview with South China Morning Post, which was published on Thursday.

The 91-year-old "sugar king of Asia" recalled the miseries inflicted upon Asian people by Japanese invaders during World War II.

Kuok's parents migrated from Fuzhou in southern China to Johor Baru in Malaya early in the 20th Century. From his mother, Kuok heard many stories about the sufferings of the people in China -- at the hands of soldiers of imperialistic foreign nations from the Opium War to the bullying of China by eight foreign nations at the time of the "Boxer Rebellion," and by corrupt government officials, bandits and the invading Japanese army from 1931 to 1945.

In mid 1941 Kuok joined Raffles College in Singapore. On Dec. 8, 1941 the Japanese attacked Malaya and Singapore. School was closed immediately to allow students from North Malaya to hurry home. However, many of them did not make it home as they were cut off by the rapidly advancing Japanese army.

"There followed three years and 10 months of having to live under the heels of the Japanese invaders. For all Malaysians and Singaporeans life was tough and raw. We lived from one day to another, each one trying his or her best to stay alive and healthy. There were many accounts of Japanese brutality and savagery," Kuok said.

In the big towns, the Japanese would establish a Military Police or "Kempeitai" building which always had torture rooms. Many whom the Kempeitai suspected of being their enemies were tortured with quite a number victims perishing in the process, he continued.

From the war, Kuok said he realized that no one has the right to invade and pillage other people's homes or countries. Besides, mankind should proscribe wars and instead strive to advance human civilization and encourage civilized behavior, he added. Endi

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