China to commemorate WWII anniversary

BEIJING – China announced plans Saturday for events to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, but there was no word on whether Japanese officials were invited to attend.

The announcement highlighted lingering tensions over the war, which erupted into violent protests last month in several Chinese cities by demonstrators who accused Tokyo of trying to minimize abuses committed during its conquest of Asia.

Japan invaded China’s northeast in 1933 and expanded its control to cover most of the country in the 1940s. China says its “Anti-Japanese War” lasted for eight years.

The notice issued by the ruling Communist Party and reported by the official Xinhua News Agency did not say whether Japanese or other foreign officials were invited to the commemorations or when the events would take place. But it said Chinese veterans and “overseas patriots … and international friends” were welcome.

Xinhua said the historical efforts established by the Communist Party led “the whole nation to defeat Japanese imperialist aggressors.”

The announcement came as Chinese President Hu Jintao, President Bush and other world leaders gathered in Moscow for ceremonies marking the anniversary of the end of the war in Europe. Leaders of Japan and Germany are to attend those ceremonies.

The war in Asia lasted for more than three months after the collapse of Nazi Germany, ending with Japan’s surrender on Aug. 15, 1945.

Beijing is reluctant to strain relations with Japan but doesn’t want to appear unpatriotic amid public complaints that Tokyo has failed to atone for suffering inflicted during the war.