China slams US for 'whitewashing' Japan's WWII war crimes

BEIJING -- A Chinese defense spokesperson on Friday slammed the United States for whitewashing Japan's aggression and war crimes during World War II, calling it "a grave affront to historical justice and an insult to the feelings of those who suffered from the Japanese invasion."

Jiang Bin, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks in response to a US State Department statement claiming that 80 years ago, the United States and Japan "concluded a devastating war in the Pacific."

"During WWII, Japanese fascists committed heinous crimes and inflicted untold suffering on people around the world, including the Americans. The US side seems to have 'amnesia' about this period of history," Jiang said.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

China urges the United States to abandon geopolitical calculations, uphold a correct historical view of WWII, and join the international community in safeguarding the post-WWII international order, Jiang said.