— Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, President of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the PRC

(Nanjing, December 13, 2014)

Today, we gather together to hold a state ceremony to mourn the innocent victims of the Nanjing Massacre, our compatriots killed by Japanese invaders, and revolutionary martyrs and national heroes who gave their lives to win victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. It is also our way to express the wish of the Chinese people to stick to the path of peaceful development, and to announce our firm intention to remember history, cherish peace and create a brighter future.

On July 7, 1937, Japanese invaders flagrantly waged a full-scale war of aggression against China, which was an unprecedented catastrophe for the nation's people. Our cities and villages were war-torn, our people were plunged into an abyss of misery or slaughtered or starved to death, and our land became desolated.

On December 13, 1937, the Japanese army invaded the city of Nanjing and committed the atrocious crimes of the Nanjing Massacre. A total of 300,000 compatriots including children were killed, and countless women were raped. One third of the buildings in Nanjing were destroyed and a large number of properties were plundered by Japanese invaders. The massacre was one of the most heinous crimes against humanity committed during World War II and a very dark event in human history.

But in a moving display of humanity, our compatriots supported each other throughout the bloody days of the massacre. Many international friends also took risks to protect the people of Nanjing in various ways, and recorded the brutality of the Japanese invaders. Among these foreign friends were German businessman John Rabe, Bernhard Arp Sindberg from Denmark, and U.S. priest John Magee. The Chinese people will never forget their humanitarian spirit and brave and righteous acts.

The Nanjing Massacre shocked the entire world and all people of conscience. After World War II, the International Military Tribunal for the Far East and China's special military tribunal both conducted investigations into the massacre and made conclusions based on the law. Many war criminals whose hands were stained with the blood of Chinese people were punished by law and condemned by history.

History will not change with the changing times, and facts will not disappear due to silver-tongued denials. The evidence of the massacre is ironclad and its history cannot be revised. History will not tolerate anyone who wants to deny the fact of the Nanjing Massacre, and nor will the 300,000 Nanjing Massacre victims, the 1.3 billion Chinese people, and all the peace-loving people in the world.

China is a heroic nation that has defied brute force and dared to fight against oppression. Faced with the extremely brutal Japanese invaders, the great Chinese people did not yield but united together to resist the enemies to the last ounce of their blood. To the call of and under guidance by the CPC, all the patriotic forces of the whole Chinese nation joined together fearlessly to fight against the common foreign enemies.

After eight years of arduous fighting, the Chinese people had paid a painful price, with 35 million people losing their lives. They managed to beat the Japanese invaders with their lives and blood to earn a glorious victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan, and made great contributions in the world war against Fascism.

The victory of the Chinese Peoples' War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was an epic display of China's resistance to foreign invasions, thoroughly putting an end to the record of humiliation suffered by China as a victim of repeated foreign aggressions in modern times. This greatly increased the Chinese nation's self-confidence and national pride, and created critical conditions for the Chinese people to take the right path of realizing national rejuvenation under the leadership of the CPC.

Since ancient times, peace has been the most enduring human aspiration. Peace gives warmth like the sun and provides moisture like rain and dew. Just as sunshine, rain and dew make creatures thrive; peace allows human beings to better achieve their dreams.

History tells us that we have to struggle to maintain peace. There can be hope for lasting peace only if it is cherished and safeguarded, aided by the bitter memories of war.

The state memorial ceremony for Nanjing Massacre victims is held to rouse all peace-loving people to yearn for and work towards peace rather than to prolong hatred. The Chinese and Japanese people should live in friendship from generation to generation, learn from history and look forward to a future where they can contribute to peace for all mankind.

To forget history is a betrayal, and to deny a crime is to repeat it. We should not bear hatred against an entire nation just because a small minority of militarists launched an aggressive war. The responsibility for war crimes lies with a few militarists, but not the general public. However, we cannot at any time forget the grave crimes committed by aggressors.

Denial or glorification of the war of aggression, regardless of how often it is repeated or how lofty it sounds, is harmful to human peace and justice. People who love peace and justice must remain highly vigilant and firmly oppose such words and actions.

"History is the best teacher. One can look back to the history if one has doubts." In the past 100 years or so, the Chinese people have experienced the scourge of repeated wars, thus they cherish peace more. The law of the jungle is not suitable for the coexistence of human beings; adopting a warlike policy violates the cause of peace for mankind. Peace but not war, cooperation but not confrontation, are the eternal themes of the development of human society.

We have just now unveiled a memorial ding for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre. Its purpose is to show the world our aspiration to "take history as a mirror, look forward into the future," and "remember forever and pray for peace."

Here and now, we want to pay homage to our compatriots killed in the Nanjing Massacre, the innocent victims of Japan's war of aggression against China, all martyrs who resisted foreign invasions in the modern era, and all compatriots who laid down their lives in the struggle for national independence, people's liberation, national prosperity and happiness. China has today become a strong nation that is able to protect its citizens' peaceful life, and the time when the Chinese nation was bullied and humiliated by other countries is over. The Chinese people are in high spirits and vigorously follow the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and they are striving to realize the Two Centenary Goals and the Chinese dream of national renewal. China's development prospects are bright.

Here and now, the Chinese people also declare to the international community that today's China is a firm advocate and strong defender of world peace. The Chinese people will firmly carry forward the ambitious cause of peace and development for mankind. The Chinese people sincerely aim to unite together and join hands with people everywhere to build a world of common prosperity with lasting peace.