Chinese leader Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, paid solemn respects to WWII martyrs during a visit to Yangquan in Shanxi Province on Monday. The tribute marked the sacrifices made during the Hundred-Regiment Campaign – a pivotal 1940 offensive against Japanese aggression that involved over 400 battles across northern China.
At the campaign's memorial square, Xi laid a floral basket adorned with white chrysanthemums and red ribbons bearing the inscription "Eternal Glory to the Martyrs." The ceremony was followed by a tour of the memorial hall, where historical artifacts and multimedia displays chronicle the five-month operation that disrupted enemy supply lines and boosted wartime morale.
The visit underscores China's ongoing emphasis on historical remembrance as a cornerstone of national identity. Analysts note such commemorations resonate particularly during periods of geopolitical complexity in East Asia, offering both reflection on past struggles and perspective on contemporary regional relationships.
