A series of activities were held yesterday to mark the 60th anniversary of China's victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-1945), and President Hu Jintao said the commemorations aimed to keep history in mind, cherish peace and create a better future.

"We will seize the opportunity to concentrate on construction and development," Hu said during his visit to a large exhibition near Lugou Bridge (Marco Polo Bridge). "We will always steadfastly pursue peaceful development and join with all nations to collectively advance the lofty causes of peace and development of humankind."

The Lugou Bridge exhibition, of pictures, relics, reconstructed scenes and other articles to reflect the period, was one of many that has been opened across the country.

A calligraphy and painting exhibition titled "Peace, fraternity and striving to be stronger" opened in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, on Sunday with over 1,000 calligraphy works and paintings on display.

Authors of the calligraphy works and paintings were aged between four and 92. Through their works, they called on people to cherish life, safeguard peace and never forget history.

The same day, an exhibition of more than 180 calligraphy works and paintings from both sides of the Taiwan Straits opened in Fuzhou, capital of the eastern province of Fujian. It also included calligraphy and paintings from Singapore, the Philippines, South Korea and Japan.

Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality will hold a series of activities, including artistic performances, concerts, screenings of films and teleplays from mid-August to mid-October to mark the end of the war.

Organizers said the events were designed to help the public, especially young people, have a better understanding of history and people across the world's struggle against fascism, and celebrate the unyielding spirit of the Chinese people in fighting Japanese aggression under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Sponsored by the Shandong Provincial Committee of the CPC and provincial government, an exhibition reproducing historical scenes of the Chinese army and civilians' fight against Japanese invaders will be staged at the State Museum from August 16 to 25.

Consisting of more than 80 artifacts and over 200 pictures, it will also showcase new developments in the Yimeng area, then an important Chinese military base.

Books on themes related to the war have been bestsellers in the past few months, and an exhibition of these has became a top attraction in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province.

(Xinhua News Agency August 15, 2005)