China slammed Japan's complaints over UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's visit to watch the military parade marking the 70th anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the end of the World War II in Beijing. [Special coverage]
"At the moment the international community is commemorating the 70th anniversary of the World Anti-Fascist War, Japan's so-called protest or remarks sound very irritating, which is deliberately provocative," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a daily briefing on Tuesday.
The response came after Japanese media said that Japan's foreign ministry expressed "strong displeasure" at Ban's attending Thursday's celebration event in Beijing. Japan complained that the UN should remain "neutral" and shun the military parade.
Japanese lower-house speaker Tadamori Oshima met with Ban on Monday to convey Tokyo's concern over his plan to visit Beijing.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric on Monday stressed that Ban had attended similar events throughout the year notably in Poland, Ukraine and Moscow. Ban "hopes that all countries will use this time to reflect on the past and look to the future," said Dujarric.
In an interview with the Xinhua News Agency on August 28, Ban said the international community recognizes China's contribution and sacrifice in WWII and it is very important now for the world to learn from past lessons and look forward in order to build a better world.
"Ban has shown a sense of responsibility and justice by attending China's military parade, which is a big difference from the Japanese authorities' irresponsible and dishonest attempts to separate history and reality," Shen Dingli, an associate dean of the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University, wrote in an opinion article of People's Daily on Tuesday.
Shen said that China has earned its leading role in safeguarding world peace through its sacrifice against Japan's aggression. "The war ended with China's victory. Our military parade will tell the world that any provocative actions of historical revisionists will be shattered again by Chinese military and people as well as all people fighting for justice."
Hua also urged Japan to "truly face up to and deeply reflect on its history of militarism with an honest and modest attitude."
About 12,000 troops, nearly 200 aircrafts, and 500 vehicles, including missiles and other artillery, will be demonstrated at the parade. Heads of more than two dozens countries and regions will also join the parade.
