CHANGSHA, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- Two more places in China have become International Cities of Peace, the organization announced on Wednesday.

Zhijiang Dong Autonomous County in central China's Hunan Province and Weifang in east China's Shandong Province are the 307th and 308th International Cities of Peace, according to the organization's website. The two will join Nanjing in Jiangsu Province, which was named the 169th International City of Peace in 2017.

The two cities have played important roles in China's history.

On Aug. 15, 1945, Japan announced its surrender in World War II. Japanese representatives handed over a map of Japanese troops deployed in China and signed a surrender memorandum in Zhijiang on Aug. 21, 1945.

Weifang, previously known as Weihsien, has a rich culture and a long history and is home to many important cultural and historical relics resources such as Weihsien concentration camp, which was used by Japanese invaders from March 1942 to August 1945 to detain over 2,000 expatriates from the United States, Britain and other countries.

"Like many cities and towns around the world, Zhijiang and Weifang have experienced historical hardship and trauma, yet the leaders and citizens of their communities are committed to a culture of healing and progress," said J. Frederick Arment, executive director of International Cities of Peace.

"The three cities of Nanjing, Zhijiang and Weifang have experienced destruction and suffering of war. The history cannot be forgotten," said Liu Cheng, professor of history and UNESCO chair on peace studies at Nanjing University.

The International Cities of Peace is an association of peaceful cities recognized by the United Nations. Over 300 places in 65 countries and regions are now on the International Cities of Peace list, including Coventry in England, Bern in Switzerland, Amsterdam in the Netherlands and Berlin in Germany. Enditem

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