In Memory of Massacre Victims

China’s first National Memorial Day for Nanjing Massacre Victims was held on December 13, 2014. Chinese President Xi Jinping and other Communist Party of China and state leaders were present at the ceremony held at the memorial hall for the massacre victims in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province.

Japanese troops captured Nanjing on December 13, 1937 and embarked on a slaughterous rampage lasting 40-odd days. More than 300,000 Chinese soldiers, who had laid down their arms, and civilians were murdered and about 20,000 women were raped.

In February 2014, China’s top legislature decided to set December 13 as the National Memorial Day to mourn Nanjing Massacre victims and all those killed by Japanese invaders, and to expose war crimes committed by Japanese aggressors. The move was aimed at memorializing the deep calamities the war caused for the Chinese people and people around the world, conveying the Chinese people’s firm stance of resisting aggression and safeguarding human dignity and world peace.

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a speech at the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre.