BEIJING, Apr. 9 -- "History shall not be forgotten, and the right and wrong must not be confused. The international community has long had a fair judgment on who launched wars, aggression and expansion, and who fought for peace during the World War II," said Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense (MND), at a press briefing on Wednesday.
Senior Colonel Zhang made the above remarks when asked to comment on the US defense secretary's misstatement during his recent visit to Japan. It is reported that during his visit to Japan, the US defense secretary called Japan a "warrior country" that was "indispensable for tackling Chinese aggression" and complimented the "valor" of Japanese soldiers in the Battle of Iwo Jima. His erroneous remarks have aroused controversies in the US.
The Chinese defense spokesperson pointed out that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. However, some people in the US are making a political stunt by distorting facts and whitewashing Japan's militarism. This is tantamount to an affront to soldiers who died in fighting fascists. The US defense secretary's remarks have aroused public anger back in the US and will surely be opposed by the international community and disdained by history.
"We urge relevant countries to stop making erroneous comments, stop turning the Asia-Pacific into a hunting ground for geopolitical rivalry, stop stoking bloc politics and military confrontation, and stop undermining the security and well-being of people in the region, " stressed the spokesperson.