China's Low-Key Memorial Highlights Historical Tensions with Japan

China held a discreet memorial for the 1937 Nanjing Massacre amidst diplomatic tensions with Japan over Taiwan. Despite historic animosities, President Xi Jinping was absent. Conservative Japanese figures refute the scale of the massacre, adding to ongoing tensions. The subdued ceremony featured symbolic speeches and gestures of remembrance.

China conducted a subdued memorial service on Saturday to remember the 1937 Nanjing Massacre, at a time of strained diplomatic relations with Japan over Taiwan. President Xi Jinping, notably absent, highlights the ongoing tensions between Beijing and Tokyo.

The rift has been exacerbated after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested that Japan might respond militarily to a Chinese attack on Taiwan, a statement that angered China. Historically sensitive, the Nanjing Massacre saw Chinese claims of 300,000 civilians killed by Japanese forces, though this is disputed by some conservative Japanese figures.

During the ceremony, Shi Taifeng upheld Xi Jinping's past commemorations and emphasized China's resilience against militarism. While the memorial maintained a calm tone compared to previous rhetoric, it underscored unresolved historical discord between the two nations.

(With inputs from agencies.)