On October 25, 1950, the Chinese People’s Volunteers (CPV) fought the very first battle that the People’s Republic of China was compelled to join in a foreign land, thus raising the curtain for the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea with a glorious victory.
“The great victory of the war will be forever etched in the history of the Chinese nation and the history of peace, development and progress of humankind,” said Chinese President Xi Jinping at a meeting marking the 70th anniversary of the CPV entering the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to fight in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea on October 23.
In his speech, Xi reviewed and summarized the great victory and contributions of the war comprehensively, expounded on the historical significance and modern value of the spirit forged in the war and made an incisive summary of the inspirations that can be drawn from the war.
Meanwhile, he solemnly declared China’s firm stand and determination to defend its own national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national unity, safeguard regional and world peace and stability, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
Xi’s speech showed the world that China has always been a staunch defender of world peace and justice as well as a firm promoter of the development and progress of mankind.
Seventy years ago, the CPV army held high the banner of safeguarding peace and fighting aggression and marched forward gallantly across the Yalu River into North Korea.
The CPV soldiers fought dauntlessly side by side with the DPRK’s people and army and won the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, writing a magnificent chapter of heroic deeds.
The War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea defied the invasion and expansion of imperialism and safeguarded the security of New China; it also safeguarded the peaceful life of the Chinese people, stabilized the situation in the Korean Peninsula and upheld peace in Asia and the world.
The great victory of the war has fully demonstrated that the Chinese nation is a peace-loving nation and the Chinese people love peace in their nature, and that when imperialists and aggressors forcibly involve them into a war, the Chinese people are fully capable of safeguarding the security of their own country as well as defending peace and justice.
It is an iron law of history once again proven by the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea that justice is sure to prevail over power and peaceful development is an irresistible historical trend.
Back in 1950, the total output value of industry and agriculture in the U.S. was 28 times that of China, and the output of steel 144 times that of China, not to mention the wide disparity between the military strength of the two sides.
Faced with a formidable and fierce opponent in a harsh and cruel battlefield, the CPV army made great sacrifices and defeated their armed-to-teeth rival with grim determination, creating an epic that impressed the entire world.
A war must be fought to deter invasion, and a victory is needed to win peace and respect, Xi pointed out.
With hard facts, the war made it clear to the world that no matter how powerful a country or army is, if it goes against the global trend towards development to bully others, try to reverse the historical trend, and pursue aggression and expansion, it will definitely end up bringing destruction on itself.
Only peaceful development and win-win cooperation is the right way forward.
At present, the world is battling the COVID-19 pandemic as it goes through profound changes never seen in a century. Yet, peace and development remain the underlying trend of the times, and people everywhere crave even more strongly for peace, development and win-win cooperation.
“In today’s world, the pursuit of unilateralism, protectionism and extreme egoism leads nowhere,” Xi said, adding that blackmail, blockages and the application of maximum pressure on others also lead nowhere.
“Arrogance, always doing as one pleases, acts of hegemony, overbearance or bullying will lead nowhere,” Xi continued.
China never seeks hegemony or expansion and firmly opposes hegemonism and power politics.
“China will never sit idly by and allow its national sovereignty, security and development interests to be undermined, and will never allow any individual or force to impair or divide this sacred territory,” Xi said, noting that if any of such crises should occur, the Chinese people would certainly fight back.
Bearing in mind the great victory of the war, China advances the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era, upholds world peace and justice, and promotes the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
The consistent peace-loving nature of China has been a generally acknowledged fact.
Looking back at the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, many people still remember a picture in which two children hold peace doves happily under blossoming flowers, with big handwritten characters by children at the bottom of the picture going “we love peace”.
The peace-themed picture was printed on envelopes, notebooks, and postcards in the 1950s, thus entering thousands of households. It was even sent where the CPV forces fought bravely in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, conveying Chinese people’s sentiments for defending their homes and safeguarding world peace.
Many facts have proved that a growing China will only mean greater strength for peace.
As a responsible major country, China upholds the common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom shared by all mankind, and follows the path of peaceful, open, cooperative and common development based on the vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, according to Xi.
The tide of the world is surging forward. Those who follow the trend will prosper, and those who go against it will perish.
China is committed to defending peace and justice and will always stand on the right side of history.
The historical pace of the Chinese nation’s great rejuvenation is unstoppable, and the just cause of world peace and development is indestructible.
