Archive · 13 Dec 2025
China holds low-key Nanjing Massacre memorial
China held a quiet ceremony to remember the Nanjing Massacre, which happened in 1937.
During the massacre, many people were killed by Japanese troops.
China says 300,000 people died, but others say the number is different.
President Xi Jinping did not attend the ceremony this year.
A Chinese official spoke about the importance of remembering history and standing up for peace.
The ceremony comes at a time when China and Japan are having disagreements, especially about Taiwan.
China wants to make sure the world remembers the massacre and learns from it.
China held a low-key memorial ceremony for the 1937 Nanjing Massacre on December 13, 2023.
President Xi Jinping did not attend the ceremony, marking a shift from previous years.
Shi Taifeng, a high-ranking Chinese official, spoke at the event, emphasizing the importance of remembering history.
Tensions between China and Japan have risen due to recent remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi about Taiwan.
China first marked a national memorial day for the massacre in 2014, with Xi Jinping calling for setting aside hatred and fostering better relations with Japan.
- Who
- Chinese government, President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Shi Taifeng
- What
- Low-key memorial ceremony for the Nanjing Massacre
- When
- December 13, 2023
- Where
- Nanjing, China
- Why
- To commemorate the 1937 massacre and address ongoing tensions with Japan
- Date of Massacre
- December 13, 1937
- Estimated Death Toll (China's Claim)
- 300,000 people
- Estimated Death Toll (Allied Tribunal)
- 142,000 people
- Japanese Prime Minister
- Sanae Takaichi
- Chinese Communist Party Official
- Shi Taifeng
- China's Commemoration
- First national memorial day in 2014
- Xi Jinping's Last Attendance
- 2017
Sources
Why the 1937 Nanjing Massacre continues to impact China-Japan relations today
Misstep or slip of tongue? Takaichi’s remark that fanned China-Japan fire was unscripted, says report
China holds low-key Nanjing Massacre memorial despite Japan tensions
