President calls for working together'to build a brighter future for humanity'

President Xi Jinping arrives in Moscow on Wednesday for a state visit to Russia and to attend celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War. [Photo by Feng Yongbin/China Daily]

President Xi Jinping has called on the world to draw wisdom and strength from the lessons of World War II, "resolutely resist all forms of hegemonism and power politics "and "work together to build a brighter future for humanity".

Xi made the remarks in an article he wrote that was published by the Russian Gazette newspaper ahead of his arrival in Moscow on Wednesday for a state visit to Russia and to attend celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War.

The four-day tour marks Xi's 11th trip to Russia since he became Chinese president. The two heads of state have met more than 40 times on different occasions over the years.

"Eighty years later today, however, unilateralism, hegemonism, bullying and coercive practices are severely undermining our world. Again humankind has come to a crossroads of unity or division, dialogue or confrontation, win-win cooperation or zero-sum games," Xi wrote in the article, which ran under the headline "Learning from History to Build Together a Brighter Future".

In the article, he sent a stern warning to those who attempt to distort or overturn World War II history, reaffirmed Taiwan's return to China in 1945 as a key part of the post-war international order, and called for practicing true multilateralism and securing international rules and order.

"Eight decades later today, we must take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard our sovereignty, security and development interests. We should be guardians of historical memory, partners in national development and rejuvenation, and champions of global fairness and justice," he said.

This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the restoration of Taiwan, and Xi cited a series of documents with international legal effect, including the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation.

These landmark documents confirmed China's sovereignty over Taiwan, and "the authority of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 cannot be challenged", he wrote.

"No matter how the situation on the Taiwan island evolves or what troubles external forces may make, the historical trend toward China's ultimate and inevitable reunification is unstoppable," Xi wrote.

Beijing highly commends Russia for repeatedly reaffirming its commitment to the one-China principle, recognizing that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and opposing any form of "Taiwan independence", Xi said.

When urging the international community to uphold the correct view of the history of World War II, Xi noted that China and the Soviet Union served as mainstays of resistance against Japanese militarism and German Nazism, making pivotal contributions to the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War.

In the first part of his article, Xi recalled his meeting 10 years ago in Russia with 18 Russian veterans, who endured the blood and fire of battlefields during the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War and the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45).

He also noted that the two nations helped each other during the war by means such as sending fighter planes and supplying weapons, rations and information.

"Any attempt to distort the historical truth of WWII, deny its victorious outcome, or defame the historic contribution of China and the Soviet Union is doomed to fail," he said.

Countries should firmly safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its center, and advance an equal and orderly multipolar world and an economic globalization that benefits all, Xi said.

He also urged the international community to uphold dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance, and win-win cooperation over zero-sum games.

"It is equally important to practice true multilateralism, accommodate the legitimate concerns of all parties, and safeguard international norms and order," said Xi.

Regarding China-Russia ties, Xi called for both nations to jointly "foil all schemes to disrupt or undermine our bonds of amity and trust", saying that the two countries "must not be baffled by transient matters or unsettled by formidable challenges".

He identified both countries as "major countries with significant influence in the world" and "constructive forces for maintaining global strategic stability and for improving global governance".

The bilateral relationship is "neither directed against nor swayed by any third party", he said.