Xi underscores research of China's WWII role

BEIJING - President Xi Jinping has called for efforts to study the significance of China's resistance against Japanese invasion and its role in World War II.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks at a study session attended by members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on Thursday.

Xi said, "We would like to show our firm resolve to safeguard the fruits of WWII victory as well as justice and fairness in the international order. Chinese will honor history, never forget the past, value peace and look forwards."

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Agreession and the end of the WWII.

Research and coverage of this part of history should "follow the right direction and focus on the mainstream and true nature of the resistance against Japanese invasion," the president said. "We should refute with solid facts those arguments that try to distort, deny or whitewash invasion history."

Japan invaded northeast China in September 1931. However, historians agree that the full-scale invasion began on July 7, 1937, when a bridge that acted as a crucial access point to Beijing was attacked by the Japanese.

Xi urged researchers to study events from 1931 as well as those after 1937.