Zhu Youlin, Hong Kong deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC), has submitted a proposal to the current session to hold national and international ceremonies to commemorate the 60th anniversary of China's victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

It suggests:

1. Inviting leaders from the US, Russia, UK, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Republic of Korea (ROK) to attend memorial ceremonies on the 60th anniversary.

2. Holding a national assembly on September 3 and 18 to commemorate the war with the attendance of top leaders, sounding a 3-minute siren across the country, flying flags at half-mast and standing in silent tribute. Otherwise, setting July 7 or August 15 as National Memorial Day.

3. Establishing a site of commemoration like the Cemetery of Nameless Martyrs in Russia and Arlington National Cemetery in the US. National museums and other educational facilities should open for free.

4. Setting September 18 as National Memorial Day or changing Civil Defense Education Day from September 20 to that day.

In 1951, the government made September 3 the date to commemorate China's victory. On September 18, 1931, Japanese armies bombarded Shenyang, Liaoning Province and soon occupied three provinces in northeast China in January 1932. On July 7, 1937, the invading forces assaulted Lugou Bridge, which marked the beginning of Japan's all-out aggression against China as well as of China's War of Resistance. The Japanese surrendered on August 15, 1945.

China holds memorial activities every ten years, but their scale is much smaller than the annual ones held for the Invasion of Normandy and the Liberation of Auschwitz in Europe. It is proposed that China should adopt a similar approach instead of simply condemning Japanese leaders' visits to the Yasukuni Shrine.

NPC deputy Kong Lingren from the Medical College of Guangdong-based Jinan University also proposed a memorial day to commemorate martyrs who laid down their lives for the nation.

"Hundreds of thousands of people who died in numerous battles against foreign aggression in China's modern history deserve the everlasting respect of the whole nation," Kong told Xinhua in an interview on Tuesday.

Among China's major days of celebrations are Teachers' Day on September 10, Tree Planting Festival on March 12, and a day of aid to people with disabilities on the third Sunday in May.

(China.org.cn by Li Shen, March 9, 2005)