Kenya joins China in honoring 80th Anniversary of WWII Victory

Kenya has joined China in commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

The symposium, held at the Embassy of China in Nairobi, brought together diplomats, academics, and policy experts to reflect on history, peace, and the future of global governance.

Delivering the keynote address, Professor Peter Kagwanja, President and Chief Executive of the Africa Policy Institute, reminded participants of China’s decisive role in the fight against fascism.

“China lost more than 35 million soldiers and civilians in the war. This was not only a victory for China, but also a contribution to world peace and the eventual liberation of colonized peoples, including in Africa,” said Prof. Kagwanja.

He noted that China’s 14-year resistance against Japanese aggression tied down over a million Japanese troops, helping shift the balance of the war and prevent the spread of fascism across Asia and beyond.

Prof. Kagwanja drew comparisons between China’s struggle and Africa’s liberation movements, including Kenya’s Mau Mau uprising.

“Our independence, like China’s resistance, was a people’s war, won when ordinary men and women found courage together,” he said.

He also pointed out that wartime reforms in China—such as expanding education, promoting gender equality, and ensuring fair land distribution—gave people a reason to fight for a better tomorrow.

“True freedom is not just the absence of foreign rule, but the creation of just and inclusive societies,” Kagwanja added.

Charge d’Affaires Zhang Zhizhong, representing the Chinese Embassy in Kenya, stressed that the commemorations were about peace, not hostility.

“Remembering history is not about fostering hatred, but about preventing the tragic recurrence of history. Holding a military parade is not about showing off power, but about demonstrating the will and strength for peace,” he said.

Zhang further noted that the lessons of WWII continue to shape today’s debates on international order:

“President Xi Jinping has put forward the Global Governance Initiative to build a more just and equitable global governance system. This complements China’s other global initiatives in development, security, and civilization.”

The envoy described China-Kenya relations as being at their strongest in history, citing projects such as the Standard Gauge Railway and expanding trade as examples of practical cooperation.

“China is ready to work with Kenya to deepen cooperation and build our relationship into an inspiring example of the all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era,” Zhang said.

Speakers agreed that the 80th anniversary was not only a historical reflection but also a call to unity in facing modern challenges such as poverty, climate change, and global insecurity.