China demands Japan develop peacefully

Liu Yunshan (L, front), a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, joins citizens to strike a big bell carved with "never forget national humiliation" to mark the 83rd anniversary of the 9.18 Incident, in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province, Sept. 18, 2014. On Sept. 18, 1931, Japanese troops blew up a section of the railway under their control near Shenyang, and then accused Chinese troops of sabotage as a pretext for attack. They bombarded barracks near Shenyang the same evening, beginning a large-scale armed invasion of northeast China. The incident was followed by Japan's full-scale invasion of China and the rest of Asia, triggering the war against Japanese aggression. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

BEIJING, Sept. 18 -- China has urged Japan to follow a peaceful development path on the latest occasion for remembering the Anti-Japanese War.

Thursday is the 83rd anniversary of the "9.18 Incident" that marked the beginning of Japan's invasion of China. Senior Communist Party of China official Liu Yunshan joined citizens to strike a large memorial bell in northeast China's Shenyang, where the incident occurred.

"We commemorate the incident to remember history and the shame that fell upon us, to spread Chinese people's great spirit of loving peace and perseverance and to better maintain world peace," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said at a regular news briefing.

"We demand Japan to honor its commitments on historical issues and follow a peaceful development path so as to gain trust from Asian neighbors and the international community with concrete steps," Hong said.

On Sept. 18, 1931, Japanese troops blew up a section of railway under their control near Shenyang, and then accused Chinese troops of sabotage as a pretext for attack. They bombarded barracks near Shenyang the same evening, beginning a large-scale armed invasion of northeast China.

China's top legislature has set Sept. 3 as an official observance day for victory in the resulting anti-fascist war.