China solemnly marked the 94th anniversary of the September 18 Incident on Tuesday with memorial events across the country. In Shenyang City, where Japanese forces first launched their invasion in 1931, more than 1,000 attendees gathered at the September 18 Incident History Museum for a bell-ringing ceremony symbolizing 14 years of resistance.
At precisely 09:18 local time, air raid sirens echoed across Liaoning Province – timed to match the historical date (9/18) – as citizens paused to remember what became known as the start of China's World War II resistance. Museum staff struck a bronze bell 14 times, representing the years from the 1931 invasion to Japan's 1945 surrender.
"This memorial reminds us that peace requires constant vigilance," said museum spokesperson Zhang Wei during the ceremony. Historical records show China suffered approximately 35 million military and civilian casualties during its anti-fascist struggle, the longest such resistance of any nation in WWII.
While emphasizing historical education, Chinese authorities have consistently framed the commemorations as promoting international reconciliation. Similar events occurred in Beijing, Nanjing, and other cities, with schools conducting special history lessons about the incident's significance in shaping modern Asia.
