Macau Wednesday marked for the first time China’s World War II victory over Japan.
Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On, his predecessor Edmund Ho Hau Wah, Central People’s Government Liaison Office Director Li Gang, Foreign Ministry Commissioner Hu Zhengyu and other local and mainland officials attended a solemn ceremony at the Macau Security Forces Academy in Coloane to mark the 69th anniversary of the nation’s victory over Japan in the Second World War.
Chui said in a speech the main aim of remembering the war was to prevent such a tragedy from happening again.
He also said all compatriots must defend their country’s sovereignty and security, as well as promote peace and justice in the world.
The National People’s Congress (NPC) earlier this year declared September 3 as a national memorial day to commemorate the War of Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.
Japan surrendered on September 2, 1945. China acknowledged the surrender the following day. Hong Kong also marked the new national memorial day Wednesday.
While Japan brutally occupied Hong Kong during World War II since Britain was China’s ally, it refrained from formally occupying Macau because of Portugal’s neutrality in the war. However, Macau was under Japan’s de facto control between 1941 and 1945.(macaunews/macaupost)
