On Saturday, China held a ceremony to mark the Nanjing massacre of 1937, committed by Japanese troops, but President Xi Jinping was not present, considering the current diplomatic crisis with Japan, amplified by recent statements from Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding Taiwan. Beijing has harshly criticized Tokyo, recalling the painful history between the two nations.
China claims that 300,000 people were killed in the massacre, while an international tribunal estimated the number at 142,000. At the ceremony, Shi Taifeng, a Chinese official, emphasized that the Chinese nation is not afraid of external powers and warned against the resurgence of Japanese militarism. The ceremony lasted less than 30 minutes and was attended by police officers and students.