Reiterating this unimpeachable fact is of great importance to China, which still stands firm in the face of the complicated international situation.

The CPC's solemn declaration of resistance against the Japanese invasion of China's Northeast region on Sept 18, 1931 (also known as the Mukden Incident), and consistent efforts to forge an anti-Japanese united national front with the then ruling Kuomintang, speak volumes of its legitimacy and historic role.

Besides, what made China's commemoration this year even more necessary is Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's failure to abide by the 2014 four-point agreement to improve Sino-Japanese ties, in which Beijing and Tokyo agreed to resume political, diplomatic and security dialogues while acknowledging their different positions on the Diaoyu Islands.

Abe did issue a statement on behalf of his cabinet on Aug 14 to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII using "deep repentance", "heartfelt apology", "colonial rule", and "aggression" to reflect on Japan's wartime atrocities. But he stopped short of offering a direct apology for Japan's wartime aggression and atrocities.

More notably, Abe forced through the Japanese parliament security bills which reversed the country's seven-decade-long pacifism. He even criticized China for the disputes in the South China Sea, which indicated Japan's possible intervention in a region which is far removed from the island country.

To prevent such "China threat" mentality from further complicating regional affairs, as well as to add weight to its determination to maintain peace, instead of spreading hatred, China was justified in commemorating its sacrifices in and contributions to the war against fascism. And it deserves international support, not criticism, for it.

The author is a professor of Japanese studies at Fudan University in Shanghai.