The press center for the events commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War holds a press conference in Beijing, on August 29, 2025. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu attended the press conference. Photo: VCG

A press conference on activities marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War was held in Beijing on Friday, with a senior Chinese diplomat providing a detailed exposition on China’s steadfast commitment to peaceful development and its vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity, as well as China’s principled stances and perspectives on major-country relations, engagement with the Global South, and the advancement of multilateralism.

Analysts noted that through its clear and principled articulation of foreign policy and diplomatic vision, China has reinforced its image as a responsible global power committed to upholding international fairness, justice, and peace. In the context of a complex and volatile international landscape, China’s concept of the community with a shared future for humanity provides a compelling framework for promoting enduring global peace and resolving conflicts.

The press conference on Friday morning came after one on Thursday, during which Assistant Foreign Minister Hong Lei announced that 26 foreign leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un, top leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, will attend China’s V-Day commemorations in Beijing.

On Friday afternoon, another press conference related to the V-Day commemorative events was held at the press center in the Beijing Media Center Hotel, with representatives from political parties of China shared insights on their understanding of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and related matters.

Shared future and multilateralism

“The community with a shared future” was frequently used in the press conference. According to the official transcript, this term was mentioned 28 times by Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu during the Friday press conference on China’s V-Day commemorations.

Ma said that China is committed to working with countries around the world to strive for the goal of building a community with a shared future for humanity, and the initiative put forward by China has built a consensus in the international community. 

The initiative has been translated into practice that involves multilateral engagement and features evolution from development to security and from cooperation to governance, Ma noted. 

“The vision breaks the ‘small circles’ rules of bloc politics and goes beyond the hegemonic logic of ‘might makes right’, providing a new approach to international relations and global governance,” said Ma.

Ma also underscored China’s stances under the vision of a community with a shared future for humanity, which encompass resolving peace and security challenges, fostering mutual learning and cultural exchange among civilizations, and advancing global development amidst the challenges of unilateralism and protectionism.

Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Friday that by highlighting the concept of a community with a shared future for humanity, China seeks to demonstrate to the world that its military parade is a reflection of its dedication to peace, fairness, justice, and global responsibility, countering narratives in some Western media that portray China as militaristic.

While covering China’s commemorative event, Reuters claimed that China’s upcoming military parade represents an “axis of upheaval” and “a show of solidarity against the West.” The Guardian described Beijing’s commemorative event as “a collective defiance amid Western pressure.”  

The World Anti-Fascist War was fought for enduring peace, a principle deeply embedded in China’s vision of a community with a shared future for humanity, Wang Yiwei, director of the Center for European Union Studies at Renmin University of China, told the Global Times. 

“As a nation committed to peace, China’s military parade is not about flexing muscles but a steadfast commitment to preserving peace,” Wang said, “With every increment of China’s strength, the prospect of conflict diminishes proportionately. This is particularly vital today, as certain far-right forces in the US, the West, and Japan continue to agitate provocatively.”

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Allied victory of WWII and also the founding of the UN, a direct outcome of the war. 

Ma called for strengthening, not weakening, the role of the UN, saying reforms are needed to help the organization better respond to global challenges, especially by boosting the representation and voice of developing countries in international affairs.

Ma said that China has taken the lead in practicing true multilateralism and firmly supports the UN in playing a central role in international affairs. 

Shen Yi, a professor on international relations at Fudan University, told the Global Times that global attention is increasingly focused on China’s role in shaping global dynamics, as China’s development progresses, with its capabilities in certain fields matching or surpassing those of the US and Western nations.

Chinese Foreign Ministry conveyed the facts that China’s growing strength will be dedicated to defending its territorial sovereignty, security, and development interests, while also serving as a force for global peace and stability, Shen said, “It will uphold the post-World War II international order, with the UN at its core, while advocating for constructive reforms to advance the vision of a community with a shared future for humanity.”

China possesses both the confidence and the capability to ensure that these transformations unfold through peaceful means, Shen said.

In a world marked by turbulence and upheaval, the vision of a community with a shared future for humanity, central to Chinese diplomacy, provides a compelling blueprint for achieving enduring global peace and resolving conflicts, Li added. 

Stable, balanced and sustainable 

At Friday’s press conference, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu also responded to a media inquiry about major power relations and the geopolitical landscape.

Emphasizing that China actively works to build a framework of major-country relations featuring peaceful coexistence, overall stability, and balanced development, Ma said that China-Russia relations stand today as the most stable, mature, and strategically significant among major-country relations in a turbulent and changing world. 

Eighty years ago, the peoples of China and Russia made tremendous sacrifices and major historical contributions to the establishment of the post-war international order. Both sides will carry forward the correct historical perspective of World War II, safeguard the outcomes of the victory, advance the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era, and make greater contributions to the progress of humanity, Ma said.

In terms of China-US relations, Ma said that China is willing to pursue mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation with the US, while firmly safeguarding its national sovereignty, security, and development interests.

He stressed that attempts to pressure or coerce China will not succeed, and efforts to contain China’s development or obstruct the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation are doomed to fail.

“We stand ready to work with the US in the same direction, to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, maintain communication, manage differences, expand cooperation, and continue to explore the right path for two major countries to get along in the new era,” Ma said.

The official stressed that the Taiwan question is purely China’s internal affair and brooks no external interference.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the EU. The senior diplomat also mentioned that China stands ready to deepen strategic communication with the EU, enhance understanding and mutual trust, consolidate the positioning of the partnership, expand mutual openness, properly handle frictions and differences, and strive to move China-EU relations forward. 

By stressing that China remains steadfastly committed to the Global South, deeply rooted in its aspirations and united in its solidarity, Ma noted that China will continue to strengthen strategic trust and practical cooperation with Global South nations.

“The stability, balance, and sustainability of major-country relations are pivotal in shaping the trajectory of the global order. China undeniably stands as a role model for managing these relations with exemplary responsibility,” Li said. 

According to the expert, the China-Russia relationship serves as an example of a new model for major-country partnerships, characterized by mutual respect and cooperation. Despite differences and contradictions with the US, China has consistently adopted a highly responsible and constructive manner. Moreover, China also maintains robust and effective communication mechanisms with nations such as India, Brazil, and various European countries.

Li Yu contributed to the story