"Japan has surrendered"——the large-scale exhibition commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan was inaugurated on the 21st at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The exhibition lasts for three days and will comprehensively recreate the heroic years when the Chinese people bravely fought against the enemy 70 years ago.
This exhibition is jointly organized by the Ta Kung Pao, the Hong Kong Provincial Political Consultative Conference Members Friendship Association, and the New Territories Community Association. On August 15, 1945, Japan announced its unconditional surrender. On that day, the Ta Kung Pao used an unprecedentedly large font to create the headline "Japan has surrendered!" The layout of that day has now been listed as a national first-class cultural relic.
Jiang Zaizhong, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Chairman and President of the Ta Kung Pao, stated at the opening ceremony that this exhibition has received support from the National Museum of China, the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall, and the Shenyang "9.18" Historical Museum, among others, with some precious collections being exhibited in Hong Kong for the first time. Jiang Zaizhong mentioned that this exhibition also has Hong Kong characteristics, showcasing valuable materials provided by descendants of members of the East River Column and the Hong Kong-Kowloon Independent Brigade, recreating the difficult years of three years and eight months in Hong Kong.
As one of the key activities commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan and the World Anti-Fascist War, this exhibition is rich in content and distinctive, divided into four sections: "Loyalty to the Country and Bloodshed Against the Enemy," "Three Years and Eight Months in Hong Kong," "A Newspaper's Resistance," and "Remembering History and Facing the Future."
Wu Kejian, the Secretary for Education of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, delivered a speech at the opening ceremony, stating that looking back at history, modern China has suffered from foreign aggression since the Opium War, until the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan. At that time, China, despite being short of supplies and having outdated weapons, still bravely fought against the enemy, significantly impacting the morale and psychology of the Japanese army. Countries around the world witnessed the resilience and unity of the Chinese people during the eight years of war, which earned them great respect for the entire Chinese nation. Wu Kejian emphasized that unity is the key to China's victory in the War of Resistance. Unity is a precious spirit of the Chinese nation and is also crucial for national development and progress. Just as Hong Kong has developed into an international metropolis today, it relies on the concerted efforts of all parties to face challenges and ultimately resolve difficulties, turning crises into opportunities.
Several elderly veterans of the East River Column also attended the opening ceremony, among whom the oldest, Chao Xiangling, is already 94 years old. She participated in anti-Japanese rescue work at the age of 16 and was involved in the secret rescue operation in Hong Kong in 1942. Chao Xiangling reflected that the three years and eight months of Hong Kong's occupation is a difficult period that all who experienced it cannot forget. Like all Chinese people, Hong Kong residents were unwilling to become slaves of a fallen nation, and many aspiring youths rose to participate in the anti-Japanese efforts. Remembering the past serves as a guide for the future, especially for today's younger generation, who should correctly understand the suffering that the country and Hong Kong have endured and remember this important history of the War of Resistance.
This exhibition also showcases the award-winning works from the "Commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the Victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan - Hong Kong Secondary School Students' Essay and Poster Design Competition," while sharing the experiences of Hong Kong secondary school students who retraced the path of the War of Resistance in Shenzhen, Beijing, Harbin, and Hong Kong this July, presenting the special significance of the history of the War of Resistance in the peaceful era from the perspective of Hong Kong youth.