The Chinese Embassy in Kenya hosted a distinguished symposium in Nairobi on September 8, marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War while spotlighting China’s Global Governance Initiative (GGI). This gathering brought together prominent Chinese and Kenyan scholars to reflect on shared history and discuss pathways toward sustainable global governance and peace.
During the event, charge d’affaires Zhang Zhizhong recalled China’s grand commemorative rally and military parade held in Beijing the previous week, a gathering of hundreds of thousands alongside over 20 world leaders and international dignitaries. Zhang emphasized the scale and significance of China’s wartime sacrifices, noting that the nation bore approximately 35 million casualties in what began as one of the first and longest Cold War fronts. “To remember history is not to foster hatred, but to prevent its tragic recurrence,” he remarked, urging the imperative of defending multilateralism while rejecting unilateralism and coercive practices.
Peter Kagwanja, President and CEO of the Africa Policy Institute, added a powerful regional perspective: China’s WWII struggle ended centuries of foreign domination for many, restoring its national dignity and inspiring colonized peoples in Africa to pursue independence. He affirmed that recognizing China’s central role in defeating fascism underscores the vital importance of the Global South in shaping a just and equitable international order. Kagwanja further noted that the Global Governance Initiative complements other Chinese-led efforts like the Global Development, Security, and Civilization Initiatives, aimed at infusing the global system with equity and inclusiveness.
