The theme of cherishing peace and promoting peaceful development is evident in China's commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-fascist War.

"By solemnly commemorating that victory, we will keep history firmly in mind, never forget the past, cherish peace and create a better future," Chinese President Hu Jintao said at a commemorative meeting here on Saturday.

China won the war at a heavy cost. According to incomplete statistics, the country suffered over 35 million casualties, both military and civilian. China's direct economic losses exceeded 100 billion US dollars and its indirect economic losses totaled more than 500 billion US dollars, calculated at the price in 1937.

Reviewing the war against Japanese aggression that was permeated with atrocities committed by Japanese invading troops, the Chinese people have learnt the value of peace.

More importantly, they have had a deeper understanding of the need to promote development.

"Backwardness leaves one vulnerable to attack -- this is the hard lesson the Chinese people have learnt from their tragic experience of repeated foreign invasions in modern history," Hu said at the meeting.

Hu pledged China will stay focused on the primary task of development and strive for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

In promoting development, China will keep steadfastly to the road of peaceful development.

"History tells us that any attempt by a country to realize its interests through the use or threat of force, or to place its interests above those of other nations will get nowhere. Such attempts are against the tide of history of human development and against the fundamental interests of people all over the world," Hu told the audience.

He said China has never sought hegemony and never will in the future.

In China, recent exhibitions, speeches of state leaders and media reports in commemoration of the war all enshrine the theme: "keep history firmly in mind, never forget the past, cherish peaceand create a better future."

In all the commemorative activities, you can find no traces of propaganda against foreign countries, even those that once bulliedand invaded China.

The concept of peaceful development could trace its root to theold Chinese philosophy that "peace and harmony should be treasured" and "do not impose on others what you would not like others to impose on you."

In practice, China has been doing what it can to preserve and promote peace in the world, like its handling of border disputes, its role in the Asian Financial Crisis, its assistance to the tsunami victims and its role in the six-party talks on the nuclearissue of the Korean Peninsula.

A prosperous and peace-loving China will undoubtedly benefit not only the Chinese, but all people in the world.

Source: Xinhua