Reception held in South Africa's Cape Town to mark victory of World Anti-Fascist War

The Chinese Consulate-General in Cape Town, the legislative capital of South Africa, hosted a reception on Friday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

CAPE TOWN, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Consulate-General in Cape Town, the legislative capital of South Africa, hosted a reception on Friday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

The reception, held at the Castle of Good Hope, was attended by approximately 100 guests, including South Africa's National Assembly House Chairperson Cedric Frolick, Western Cape's Head of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport Guy Redman, and various government officials, diplomats, scholars, journalists, and representatives of the local Chinese community.

The event also exhibited historical photos documenting Japan's 14-year invasion of China and the Chinese people's resistance during that period.

At the reception, Chinese Consul-General in Cape Town You Wenze noted that, as an important part of the World Anti-Fascist War, the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression began the earliest and lasted the longest.

"With a huge national sacrifice of 35 million casualties, Chinese people held ground in the main theater in the East of the World Anti-Fascist War, making an indelible and significant contribution to its victory," he said.

You also stressed that bearing history in mind is not to perpetuate hatred, but to call on kind-hearted people to yearn for and work toward peace.

"80 years later, as we stand here today, great transformations unseen in a century are accelerating, and the international situation is becoming increasingly complex," said the consul-general. "Unilateralism, protectionism, power politics, and economic bullying have created severe challenges. The world is once again at a critical crossroads."

"The painful lessons of World War II remind us that humanity is a community with a shared future. Only by standing together in solidarity and pursuing win-win cooperation can we solve global development problems and address international security challenges," he added.

Echoing You's remarks, Frolick pointed out that the world is currently facing a "time when unilateralism and protectionism are once again on the rise, challenging the multilateral frameworks that have long supported global cooperation and stability."

"We are also witnessing the resurgence of a hegemonic posture from a bygone era -- one that seeks to impose a binary worldview of 'you are either with us or against us,'" said Frolick, adding that this outdated approach undermines the sovereignty of nations, limits constructive engagement, and erodes the spirit of mutual respect that is essential for meaningful international relations.

"As we honor the sacrifices made in the fight against fascism, aggression, and imperialism, let us also reflect on what kind of world we are building for future generations," he said. "The lessons of history call on us to be courageous, not only in remembrance, but in how we confront the challenges of our time."

"We believe that lasting global peace can only be built through principled diplomacy, not through force or coercion," he added. ■