Overview
- China held the national memorial in Nanjing on Dec. 13 at the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall, with local reports citing about 8,000 attendees.
- Communist Party Politburo member Shi Taifeng declared that attempts to revive militarism and challenge the postwar order will fail.
- The ceremony featured an air-raid siren and a moment of silence observed by students as well as military and police personnel.
- Beijing has cast 2025 as the 80th anniversary of victory in the Anti-Japanese War, using commemorations to reinforce wartime narratives.
- Japan’s embassy in China warned residents that anti-Japanese sentiment tends to rise on the anniversary and urged caution and avoidance of places associated with Japanese patrons.