China to cut troops by 300,000: President Xi

The excerpt of the speech:

Seventy years ago today, the Chinese people... won a great victory against Japanese aggression, marking the world victory in the anti-fascist war.

Today is a day that is worth being remembered by people around the world.

I send heartfelt gratitude to foreign governments that assisted the Chinese people in resisting aggression.

This remarkable feat by the Chinese people was rare in the history of war.

In that devastating war, the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression started the earliest and lasted the longest.

This great triumph crushed the plot of the Japanese militarists to colonize and enslave China and put an end to China's national humiliation of suffering successive defeats at the hands of foreign aggressors in modern times.

With huge national sacrifice, the Chinese people held ground in the main theater in the East of the World Anti-Fascist War, thus making major contribution to its victory.

The aim of our commemoration... is to bear history in mind, honor all those who laid down their lives, cherish peace and open up the future.

Ravaging through Asia, Europe, Africa and Oceania, that war inflicted over 100 million military and civilian casualties. China suffered over 35 million casualties and the Soviet Union lost more than 27 million lives during the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

War is like a mirror. Looking at it helps us better understand the value of peace.

China will remain committed to peaceful development.

We Chinese love peace. No matter how much stronger it may become, China will never seek hegemony or expansion. It will never inflict its past suffering on any other nation.

The PLA is the people's army. All its officers, men and women, must bear in mind their responsibility of serving the people whole-heartedly. China will cut the number of its troops by 300,000.

The justice will prevail. The peace will prevail. The people will prevail.

Full Text: Xi's speech at commemoration of 70th anniversary of war victory