China urges Japan to face up to history and stop threatening the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) which recently listed documents concerning the Nanjing Massacre in the Memory of the World Register, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday.
After the Nanjing Massacre was listed in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register on Oct. 9, Japan’s Foreign Ministry has questioned the authenticity of the documents, calling on UNESCO to be neutral and fair. The Japanese side even threatened to cut its financial contribution to the relevant UN organizations.
“Japan’s overt threat to the UNESCO is shocking and unacceptable. China fully recognized the UNESCO’s objective and fair position on the application for the Nanjing Massacre to be included in the Memory of the World Register,” Hua Chunying, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told a regular briefing in Beijing on Tuesday.
From December 13, 1937 until January 1938, the Nanjing Massacre saw the deaths of 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers after the city fell into the hands of the Japanese aggressors.
Among the documents are 11 archives relating to the massacre including film, photographs and texts between 1937 and 1948. The documents show Japanese troops killed unarmed Chinese.
Hua said the listing was an objective conclusion which follows relevant criteria of the UNESCO.
“The Nanjing Massacre was a serious crime committed by the Japanese militarists during the Second World War. It is a historical facts recognized by the international community. China’s relevant application documents conformed to criteria of the Memory of the World Register and the application procedure also complied with standards of the UNESCO. The International Advisory Committee of the UNESCO has made the decision after prudent discussions and researches according to relevant procedures,” said Hua.
“Japan has repeatedly obstruct the activities of the UNESCO and voiced threats. It once again proves the wrong conception of history that Japan has obstinately held. The attitude of Japan is rather worrying. I want to stress that Japan can never wipe away the stains in its history even if it threatens to cut its financial contribution to some UN organizations. Japan’s action only added to its unjustification,” said Hua.
According to Hua, only Japan faces up to history, its wrong corrects and errors, can it win trust of the Asian countries and the world.
“We seriously urge Japan to immediately stop making brazen troubles and stop all obstructive and threatening actions against the UNESCO in an attitude responsible for history and future generations. We urge Japan to practically face and reflect on the history of aggression, and take concrete moves to correct its errors and win the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community,” said Hua. (Reuters)