A few months late, but it takes a while for this stuff to get translated and sent out.
Text of Hu's Speech to Russian Veterans Taking Part in China's Anti-Japanese War Beijing Xinhua Domestic Service in Chinese 1932 GMT 08 May 05
[Report: "Hu Jintao's Speech When Meeting With Russian War Veterans Taking Part in China's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (Full Text)"]
Moscow, 8 May (Xinhua) -- Chinese State President Hu Jintao made an important speech, in Moscow on 8 May, at a meeting with representatives of the Russian war veterans taking part in China's war of resistance against Japanese aggression. The full text of the speech is as follows:
Speech at Meeting with Representatives of Russian War Veterans Taking Part in China's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (Moscow, 8 May 2005)
PRC President Hu Jintao
Distinguished war veterans, Dear comrades and friends:
On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the victory of the global antifascist war, I have come to Moscow to attend the ceremony in Russia marking the 60th anniversary of the victory of the war to defend the country. I am very pleased today to have the opportunity to meet with representatives of the Russian war veterans who fought bloody battles in the anti-Japanese war in northeastern China and in the war to defend the country. First, on behalf of the Chinese government and people, I would like to pay high tribute to you and to express my best wishes to the great people of Russia!
More than 60 years ago, the fascist aggressors outrageously launched a war of aggression, bringing colossal calamity and catastrophe to the peoples of China, Russia, and many other countries. In the life-and-death struggle between justice and evil and between brightness and darkness, the global antifascist forces, by sharing a bitter hatred of the enemy, supporting each other, and fighting side by side, ultimately defeated the aggressors, preserved human civilization, and achieved world peace.
In the principal European theater of World War II, the heroic Soviet army and people defended national sovereignty and dignity with their blood and precious lives and, together with the peoples of other countries, sent the fascist aggressors to the tribunal of history. For the victory of the global antifascist war the Soviet army and people made great sacrifices that are recognized the world over, performed ineffaceable historical exploits, and wrote a splendid and world-shaking epic.
In the principal battleground in the Asia-Pacific theater of World War II, the indomitable Chinese army and people, by carrying out protracted and most arduous struggle, contained and annihilated much of the Japanese invader's military strength, making significant contributions to the world's victory against fascism. No fewer than 10 million Chinese sons and daughters laid down their lives courageously in the anti-Japanese battlefields, and they wrote a stirring and glorious chapter in the world history of the antifascist war.
In the extraordinarily fierce war in the history of mankind, the peoples of China and the Soviet Union, by fighting side by side, cemented a friendship of going through thick and thin together. At that time, many ardent sons and daughters of the Chinese nation, including Mao Anying, the eldest son of the late chairman Mao Zedong, resolutely joined the Soviet Red Army's fight against Nazi Germany. In a crucial stage of China's war against Japanese aggression, the Soviet Red Army marched into the battleground of northeast China and joined the Chinese army and people in fighting the Japanese aggressors, providing important assistance for the Chinese people's ultimate victory in the war against Japanese aggression. Many of the war veterans present here joined in the fierce battles on the battleground of northeast China and made valuable contributions to the Chinese people's struggle against Japanese aggressors. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. In the battles in those years, the Soviet Red Army generals and officers fought heroically and many of them laid down their lives for a worthy cause. Their heroic deeds will forever be engraved in the minds of the Chinese people.
History is a mirror reflecting reality; it is also a most philosophic textbook. Keeping alive the memory of history and not forgetting it serves the purpose of cherishing peace and opening up the future. Our purpose in celebrating the victory of the global anti-fascist war is to exert more efforts to cherish and safeguard the hard-won peace, to prevent a repeat of the tragedies of war, and to ensure that the people of all countries enjoy peace forever.
Having suffered untold hardships from external aggression and oppression since the modern times, the Chinese people are well aware of the preciousness of peace. China will unflinchingly hold high the banner of peace, development, and cooperation, stick to the road of peaceful development, and carry on the struggle for world peace and common development.
Both the Chinese and Russian nations are great nations. The peoples of the two countries should make concerted efforts, advance hand in hand, jointly safeguard peace, and promote development together. The establishment and development of the strategic partnership of cooperation between China and Russia fully accords with the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples. I sincerely hope that the two peoples will always be friendly and, together with the peoples of other countries, build a harmonious world of lasting peace and universal prosperity, and create a brighter future for human society. Let the Chinese and Russian peoples be good neighbors, good friends, and good partners forever, and let all peace-loving people around the world be immersed in the sunshine of peace, stability, and development.
Lastly, I wish all the war veterans good health, a long life, joy, and happiness! I wish all the guests good health and good luck in everything!
Thank you.
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