On September 1, 2025, the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) held the Medal Presentation Ceremony in Commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. President Yang Wanming awarded commemorative medals to 55 representatives of international friends. Massimo D'Alema, former Prime Minister of Italy; Viorica Dăncilă, former Prime Minister of Romania; Daniel Andrews, former Premier of Victoria, Australia; Kobayashi Yōkichi, son of Japanese veteran of the Eighth Route Army Kobayashi Kiyoshi; Mangesh Rajan Borkar, grandnephew of Indian doctor Dwarkanath Kotnis; Jean-Louis Bussière, son of French doctor André Bing; Mariann Andersen, niece of Danish friend Bernhard Arp Sindberg; Thomas Rabe, grandson of German friend John Rabe; Nikolai Chuikov, grandson of Marshal Vasily Ivanovich Chuikov of the Soviet Union; Zavizionov, son of a Soviet Red Army veteran, Yuri Zavizionov; Cynthia Chennault, daughter of General Claire Lee Chennault of the American Flying Tigers; Elyn MacInnis, daughter-in-law of Lieutenant Donald MaoInnis of the Flying Tigers; Sarah Murray Stewart, daughter-in-law of New Zealand friend Rewi Alley, and more than 60 representatives of international friends or their families from 14 countries, attended the event. Yuan Mindao, Vice President of the CPAFFC, presided over the medal presentation ceremony.

In his remarks, President Yang recalled that 80 years ago, the Chinese people fought with unyielding courage, defended homeland with their own flesh and blood, and rose one after another to confront the national crisis. With more than 35 million casualties, the Chinese people sustained the main Eastern battlefield of the World Anti-Fascist War and made an indelible, historic contribution to the victory of the global struggle against fascism. During this heroic joint resistance, the Chinese people received broad support and sincere assistance from peoples around the world, leaving behind many deeply moving stories. This enduring friendship, forged in shared sacrifice, is etched in the collective memory of the Chinese people and peoples worldwide, and has become a valuable spiritual legacy that continues to inspire joint efforts for global peace and development.

President Yang further stressed that, President Xi Jinping has called all nations across the world to learn from history, especially the hard lessons of the Second World War and eliminate the root cause of war and prevent historical tragedies from recurring. The world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. Standing at this historical crossroads, the fundamental truths revealed by the devastation of World War II are all the more evident. Learning from history to uphold peace, we must resolutely stand on the side of peace, safeguard the hard-won victory of World War II, and firmly defend the post-war international order—dissolving suspicion with trust and resolving disputes through cooperation. Learning from history to uphold justice, we must safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core, the international order underpinned by international law, and the basic norms of international relations founded on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. Learning from history to strengthen people-to-people bonds, we must advocate a vision of civilizations based on equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness—promoting exchanges to transcend estrangement, mutual learning to transcend conflict, and coexistence to transcend notions of superiority—thereby opening a new chapter of cultural exchange, cultural integration, and people-to-people connectivity among all nations.

The ceremony was held in a warm and cordial atmosphere. International guests expressed heartfelt gratitude to China for awarding such a significant medal on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War. They recalled with deep emotion the moving stories of themselves or their forebears fighting shoulder to shoulder with the Chinese people and forging lasting friendships, unanimously affirmed that China had made an indelible contribution to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, and pledged to carry forward and promote the cause of people-to-people friendship between China and other countries, contributing through civil efforts to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.