Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia Chen Hai speaks at a seminar commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, which was held in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, Aug. 26, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

A seminar commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War was held on Tuesday in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital.

The event, themed "History in Mind, Future in Hand" and co-organized by the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia and Addis Ababa University (AAU), brought together about 100 participants, including senior Ethiopian government officials, the Chinese diplomatic community in Addis Ababa, as well as scholars from the AAU.

Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia Chen Hai noted that as the principal theater of the World Anti-Fascist War in the East, the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression began the earliest, lasted the longest, and incurred the greatest sacrifices.

He added that for 14 years, "the Chinese nation never bowed down but defended its sovereignty and territorial integrity with blood, ushering in a historic turning point from a grave crisis in modern times to a great rejuvenation."

Dima Negewo, chairperson of the Foreign Relations and Peace Affairs Standing Committee at the Ethiopian House of Peoples' Representatives, the lower chamber of the parliament, said the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression "is a momentous victory that heralded a new era, an event that eventually led to the liberation of China."

Noting that the victory was made possible due to the leadership and organizational capability of the Communist Party of China in mobilizing the entire Chinese people, he said the party has since led "miraculous transformation of China, from a backward rural society to an industrial and technologically advanced country."

Negewo said China's growth over the last four decades, in particular, is "spectacular." According to him, the Chinese development model has proved to be "very efficient and resilient," and has become a source of inspiration for many developing countries.

During a panel discussion held on the margins of the seminar, officials, experts, and scholars from the two countries highlighted the importance of China's role in the World Anti-Fascist War, expressing their commitment to drawing lessons from history toward a shared peaceful future.