Nanjing: On December 13, 2025, China commemorated the 88th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre with a subdued but solemn national memorial ceremony, even as diplomatic tensions with Japan have surged over regional security disputes, particularly remarks by Tokyo’s leadership on Taiwan.
The ceremony took place at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, located in Nanjing, the eastern Chinese city that was the scene of one of the most brutal episodes of the Second Sino-Japanese War in December 1937.
Officials, survivors’ families, local citizens and students gathered at the memorial site for a brief but solemn service. Observances included the raising and lowering of the Chinese national flag to half-mast, a moment of silence, and the sounding of air-raid sirens across the city to honor the victims of the massacre.
The memorial day which has been observed annually on December 13 since 2014 serves to commemorate not only the victims of the Nanjing atrocity but also all those who died during the broader period of Japanese aggression in World War II.
China’s official narrative states that around 300,000 civilians and unarmed soldiers were killed by Imperial Japanese troops during the weeks after Nanjing fell. International post-war tribunals documented a somewhat lower figure, but the incident remains a defining element of modern Chinese historical memory.
Unlike in past years, President Xi Jinping did not attend the ceremony, continuing a recent pattern of scaled-down visibility at this event. Xi’s last in-person appearance at the memorial was in 2017, and he has delivered no public statement on the occasion this year, signaling perhaps a strategic choice to keep the official tone measured amidst bilateral strains.
Shi Taifeng, a senior official from the Communist Party of China, delivered remarks at the ceremony. While Shi did not explicitly reference current tensions with Japan, he emphasized the resilience of the Chinese nation and warned against any revival of militarism that could destabilize peace comments broadly consistent with long-standing government rhetoric.
This year’s memorial took place against the backdrop of steadily rising friction between Beijing and Tokyo. The recent catalyst has been remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, suggesting Japan might consider military action if China were to attack Taiwan, a self-governing island Beijing claims as part of its territory. China condemned the statements as provocative and dangerous, intensifying diplomatic unease.
Tokyo and Beijing have also engaged in disputes over military encounters, including allegations of radar locking between Chinese and Japanese aircraft earlier in December, an incident Tokyo labeled “dangerous” and which drew international attention. The United States has backed Japan’s concerns over such military interactions, further complicating the regional security picture.
In Beijing, the Foreign Ministry and state representatives used the days preceding the memorial to strongly reaffirm China’s historical stance. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stressed that the massacre represented one of the darkest chapters in human history and denounced what China describes as ongoing attempts by some Japanese political figures to revise war history or revisit militaristic policies. Guo said Japanese militarism remains a global threat that must be opposed.
Chinese authorities have also pointed to increasing historical evidence and artifacts preserved in memorial institutions such as letters from Japanese soldiers and other wartime documents to reinforce the historical record of wartime atrocities.
Across China, from memorial sites to educational forums, the massacre’s legacy continues to be emphasized in public discourse and schooling. Cities like Nanjing hold multiple commemorations, including wreath-laying at mass burial sites and exhibitions intended to transmit historical memory to younger generations.
However, these commemorations also carry diplomatic weight: how both Beijing and Tokyo engage with this shared yet contested history affects public perception and bilateral ties. Japan has accused China of leveraging historical issues for political ends, while China insists that remembrance remains essential to preventing future aggression.