Xi Jinping Publishes a Signed Article in Russian Media

On May 7, during his state visit to Russia and attendance at the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s Great Patriotic War Victory in Moscow, President Xi Jinping published a signed article in Rossiyskaya Gazeta entitled “Drawing Lessons from History to Jointly Create the Future.” The full text of the article is as follows:

Learn from history   Co-create the future

This year marks the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Soviet Great Patriotic War, and the World Anti-Fascist War. This year marks the 80th anniversary of both the founding of the United Nations and the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries. As we celebrate the season when pear blossoms bloom across the land, I am about to pay a state visit to Russia and attend the ceremonies commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s Great Patriotic War victory, joining the heroic Russian people in revisiting our shared history and honoring the fallen heroes.

Ten years ago at this very time, I traveled to Russia to attend the 70th-anniversary celebrations of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, where I had the special honor of meeting with 18 representatives of Russian veteran soldiers who had fought bravely on the battlefields of the Soviet Union’s Great Patriotic War and the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. I will never forget their steely resolve and unwavering determination. Over the past few years, veterans such as General Gareyev and Major General Shudlo have passed away one after another, and I hold them in deep remembrance. From generals to privates, we will never forget all those veteran soldiers who made outstanding contributions to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War! Heroes are immortal; righteous spirit endures forever!

During the World Anti-Fascist War, the peoples of China and Russia fought side by side and provided mutual support. At the most arduous juncture of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japan, the Soviet Volunteer Air Force in China operated in Nanjing, Wuhan, Chongqing, and other cities. “Eagles soaring through the vast sky”—in the face of Japanese aggression, countless pilots sacrificed their precious lives. At the most critical juncture of the Soviet Union’s Great Patriotic War, “the Eastern Zorge”—Yan Baohang, an outstanding underground operative of the Chinese Communist Party—provided first-hand intelligence to the Soviet side. During those tumultuous years of war, the Soviet Union supplied China with massive quantities of weapons and equipment, while China, in turn, delivered urgently needed strategic materials to the Soviet Union. Together, the two countries forged an international “lifeline” across the deserts and gobi, playing a vital role in supporting each other’s anti-fascist struggle. The profound friendship forged by the blood and lives of the peoples of the two nations flows ceaselessly like the Yellow River and stretches wide and deep like the Volga, serving as an inexhaustible source of enduring Sino-Russian friendship for generations to come.

Eighty years ago, the righteous forces of the world—including China and the Soviet Union—united in common hatred of the enemy and fought bravely side by side, ultimately defeating the arrogant forces of fascism. Today, eighty years later, unilateralism, hegemony, and bullying practices are causing grave harm, and humanity once again stands at a crossroads: unity or division, dialogue or confrontation, win-win cooperation or zero-sum competition. The great Russian writer Leo Tolstoy wrote in War and Peace: “History is the biography of nations and of mankind.” The memory and truth of history do not fade with the passage of time; rather, the lessons they impart continue to illuminate the present and point the way to the future. We must learn from history, draw wisdom and strength from the profound lessons of the Second World War and the great victory of the anti-fascist war, resolutely oppose all forms of hegemonism and power politics, and work together to create a brighter future for humanity.

—We must uphold a correct understanding of the history of World War II. China and the Soviet Union, as the principal Asian and European theaters of the war, respectively, served as the mainstays in the fight against Japanese militarism and German Nazism, making decisive contributions to the victory of the global anti-fascist struggle. The Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japan was the earliest to begin and the longest in duration. Under the banner of the United Front for National Resistance against Japan, initiated and established by the Communist Party of China, the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation fought one after another with united resolve and made tremendous sacrifices to defeat the ruthless Japanese militarists, thus writing a glorious chapter in the victory of the War of Resistance. On the European front, the Soviet Red Army, forged by indomitable will into an iron torrent, crushed the aggressors’ ambitions, liberated the peoples enslaved by German fascism, and composed the magnificent epic of the Soviet Great Patriotic War.

History teaches us that light will inevitably dispel darkness, and justice will ultimately triumph over evil. The International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg and the Far East International Military Tribunal have forever nailed war criminals to the pillar of historical shame; the just nature, historical value, and epoch-making significance of these two landmark trials are unshakable. Any attempt to distort the truth about World War II, deny the achievements of the victory in that war, or smear the historic contributions of China and the Soviet Union will never succeed. As for any act seeking to reverse the course of history, not only the peoples of China and Russia will reject it, but the peoples of all nations will also reject it.

—We must steadfastly uphold the post–World War II international order. Around the time of the war’s end, the most important decision made by the international community was the establishment of the United Nations. China and the Soviet Union were among the first to sign the UN Charter; their status as permanent members of the UN Security Council is a historically established reality, hard-won through blood and sacrifice. The more turbulent and complex the international situation becomes, the more we must adhere to and safeguard the authority of the United Nations, firmly uphold the international system centered on the UN, the international order based on international law, and the fundamental norms governing international relations grounded in the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and continuously advance a more equal and orderly multipolar world and an inclusive, mutually beneficial economic globalization.

This year also marks the restoration of Taiwan. The 80th anniversary. Taiwan’s return to China is an essential component of the outcomes of the victory in World War II and the post-war international order. A series of documents with the force of international law, including the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, have all affirmed China’s sovereignty over Taiwan; the historical and legal facts in this regard are beyond doubt, and the authority of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 is unchallengeable. No matter how the situation on Taiwan Island evolves or how external forces seek to stir up trouble, the overarching historical trend toward China’s eventual and inevitable reunification is unstoppable.

China and Russia have consistently and firmly supported each other on issues concerning their respective core interests and major concerns. The Russian side has repeatedly reaffirmed its commitment to the One-China principle, stating that Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory and opposing any form of “Taiwan independence” — we firmly support all measures taken by the Chinese government and the Chinese people to achieve national reunification. The Chinese side highly commends this stance.

—We must steadfastly uphold international fairness and justice. In today’s world, the deficits in peace, development, security, and governance continue to grow. To address these deficits, I have proposed the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, as well as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, all aimed at actively leading reform of the global governance system on the basis of the principles of fairness and justice.

The world needs fairness, not hegemony. Both history and the present demonstrate that addressing global challenges requires upholding a vision of global governance based on extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits; embracing dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance, and win-win outcomes over zero-sum games; practicing true multilateralism; taking into account the legitimate concerns of all parties; and safeguarding international rules and order. We are firmly convinced that the peoples of all countries will choose to stand on the right side of history and on the side of equity and justice.

China and Russia are both major countries of significant global influence and constructive forces in upholding global strategic stability and improving global governance. China-Russia relations are underpinned by a clear historical logic, strong endogenous momentum, and a profound civilizational heritage; they are neither directed against any third party nor subject to the influence of any third party. The two sides must jointly resist any attempts to interfere with or undermine China-Russia friendship and mutual trust, remain undeterred by temporary incidents or short-term challenges, and, with the certainty and resilience of their strategic partnership, jointly advance the process of multipolarization and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

China and Russia are both great nations with splendid civilizations, and the Chinese people and the Russian people are both great peoples with a heroic heritage. Eighty years ago, through our courageous resistance, we achieved the great victory in the Anti-Fascist War. Today, eighty years later, we must take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard our sovereignty, security, and development interests; steadfastly serve as guardians of historical memory, partners in development and rejuvenation, and defenders of international fairness and justice; and work together to secure a brighter future for the destiny of humanity.