Commentary
BEIJING – The Lugou Bridge Incident* of July 7, 1937 is recognized as the start of Japan’s full-scale invasion of China. It was a day that left traumatic memories in the minds of the Chinese people, but also generated a powerful spiritual force within them to overcome difficulties, and achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Yesterday marked the 83rd anniversary of the Lugou Bridge Incident, also known as the July 7 incident. The Chinese people have indelible memories of the suffering it caused. But it is important to know that remembering history is not to perpetuate hatred, but to learn from history.
History is the best textbook and sobering agent. A great lesson the Lugou Bridge Incident has taught us is that relying on military force to invade, and expand abroad, will eventually fail.
As the Chinese leadership has reiterated on many international occasions, China will always promote world peace, and firmly follow the path of peaceful development. No matter how the international situation changes and how it develops, China will never seek hegemony, expansion, or spheres of influence. The old logic, that a powerful country is bound to seek hegemony, does not work for China.
Forgetting history means betrayal, denying guilt means recidivism. Denying the history of aggression is a mockery of history, and an insult to the human conscience. The people of China and the world will not allow anyone to deny, distort or even beautify the history of aggression.
History cannot be repeated, but the future can be chosen and created.
China has been upholding the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity, and has been moving steadily towards jointly creating a promising future of world peace with other countries.
The world needs peace, but also the power to maintain peace. China will continue to walk the path of peaceful development as a mighty force of global peace and stability. – Xinhua*The Lugou Bridge Incident is also known as the Marco Polo Bridge Incident or the Double Seven Incident (the 7th day of the seventh’s month)
This photo taken yesterday shows the historic Lugou Bridge in Beijing. On July 7, 1937 Japanese soldiers attacked Chinese forces at the bridge, also known as the Marco Polo Bridge, marking the beginning of Japan’s full-scale invasion of China and eight-year atrocities perpetrated by the Japanese military. – Xinhua
