Xi greets veterans at Victory Day gala stressing Chinese narrative of WWII
After holding a massive military parade in the morning to mark 80 years since the end of World War II and showcase its growing military might and rising diplomatic stature, China held a gala at the Great Hall of the People, reinforcing its narrative about the second world war.
The hour-and-a-half commemorative gala began at 8pm Wednesday, with President Xi Jinping and members of the Politburo greeting several surviving Chinese veterans of World War II. Their handshakes drew warm applause, underscoring the evening’s emphasis on remembrance.
Most of these veterans were over 90 years old, and this was likely their last time taking part in the Victory Day parade. One veteran of the Nationalist Party (KMT) also attended the gala. Xi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had shaken hands with them during the military parade on Wednesday morning.
Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.
No foreign leaders attended the evening gala.
Titled “Justice Will Prevail”, the gala featured five themed programmes and 18 chapters, blending song, dance, poetry and drama. It depicted China’s 14-year struggle against Japanese aggression and its ultimate victory from the perspective of the Communist Party.
The “Justice Will Prevail” gala featured five themed programmes and 18 chapters, blending song, dance, poetry and drama. Photo: Reuters alt=The “Justice Will Prevail” gala featured five themed programmes and 18 chapters, blending song, dance, poetry and drama. Photo: Reuters>
Several popular Chinese actors took part in the gala, which featured scenes reminiscent of the Communist Party’s headquarters, Yan’an, during the war years.
The gala opened with a scene in Northeast China in 1931, reiterating Beijing’s emphasis on the “Fourteen-Year War of Resistance” rather than the previous “Eight-Year War” narrative.
The Eight-Year War refers to the period from the Marco Polo Bridge Incident in 1937 to Japan’s surrender in 1945. Beijing reinterpreted China’s war of resistance in 2016, stating that the conflict began in 1931 when a bomb destroyed a Japanese railway near Shenyang (then known as Fengtien).
Beijing said that the “Fourteen-Year War of Resistance” fully demonstrates the “critical role played by the Chinese Communist Party in resisting the invasion”.
During World War II, the Kuomintang (KMT), then ruling mainland China, formed an alliance with the rival Communist Party to resist Japanese aggression, ultimately leading to Japan’s surrender in 1945.
After its defeat in the Chinese Civil War, the KMT retreated to Taiwan in 1949.
The gala mentioned the assistance provided by foreigners, such as Norman Bethune, to China’s war of resistance.
The gala reiterated Xi’s message from his Wednesday morning speech: “Cherish peace and forge the future.”
The second half showcased China’s development achievements, particularly its infrastructure and tech self-reliance, and replayed footage from Wednesday morning’s military parade. “Fellow ancestors, we have developed, and we are capable of safeguarding peace,” one performer chanted.
The gala concluded with “Shared Destiny” and a unison rendition of “Ode to the Motherland”, a rousing finale that called for unity and peace.
Additional reporting by Enoch Wong
This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP’s Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2025 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Copyright (c) 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
