Parade a somber reminder of will to maintain peace

It is customary for people and nations to commemorate anniversaries. In the context of World War II, last year France observed the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landings. In May this year, Poland and Russia separately commemorated the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII and the defeat of Nazi Germany. And in a few days, China will hold several events to mark the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-45), including a military parade in Beijing on Sept 3.

The purpose of such a commemoration is to learn from history and look to the future. France commemorated the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landings both to appreciate the role of the Allied Forces, especially the US military, in freeing it of Nazi rule and to extol Russia for its role in defeating the fascist forces during WWII. To its credit, France invited Russia - despite Russia's intervention in Crimea early last year - to show its respect for history and to help reconcile relations between Moscow and the West.

Similarly, China will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the defeat of Japanese imperialism and the triumph of the just in WWII, with 49 countries and 10 international organizations invited as guests, including Russia and the US. China also invited Japan among other countries to attend the commemorative events in the hope of reconciling relations by reviewing history together.