As the world approaches the 88th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre in 2025, Penny Lockwood of the Australia China Friendship Society has reignited calls for international acknowledgment of what she describes as 'one of history\u2019s most systematically erased atrocities.' Speaking to KhabarAsia.com this week, Lockwood revealed her family\u2019s personal connection to the 1937 tragedy through letters from a British missionary ancestor who witnessed the events.
\u201cSilence enables denial,\u201d Lockwood stated, criticizing Japan\u2019s continued reluctance to fully address historical accounts and the West\u2019s geopolitical avoidance of the subject. Her advocacy aligns with growing efforts this year by Chinese and international scholars to digitize survivor testimonies before living memory fades.
While the Chinese mainland holds annual memorial ceremonies, Lockwood argues that global recognition remains fragmented. \u201cWhen schools in Australia or America teach World War II history, Nanjing merits a paragraph at best,\u201d she noted, warning that incomplete historical narratives fuel modern misunderstandings about Asia\u2019s geopolitical landscape.
The debate emerges as cross-strait relations show renewed focus on shared historical memory. Academics from both the Chinese mainland and Taiwan region recently co-published a trilingual archive of wartime documents, signaling rare scholarly collaboration.
For investors monitoring Asia\u2019s stability, Lockwood\u2019s warning resonates: \u201cUnaddressed history doesn\u2019t disappear \u2013 it distorts present-day decisions.\u201d As 2025 progresses, observers note whether Japan\u2019s upcoming peace memorial initiatives will address this persistent rift.
