Essay by Liu Jun and Yang Shuping, re-published here in The Multiplural World, May 13, 2025
(Wth related news and analysis further below. Liu Jun is Executive Director of the Center for Russian Studies, East China Normal University; Yang Shuping is a PhD candidate at Moscow State University and researcher at the Center for Russian Studies, East China Normal University. This essay first appeared in RT International on May 12, 2025.)
On May 9, 2025, Moscow held a grand military parade on Red Square to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory in the Great Patriotic War. Approximately 27 foreign heads of state were in attendance, highlighting Russia’s influence on the international stage and signaling a break from Western diplomatic isolation.
The parade and all the events of May 7 to 9 in Moscow and across the Russian Federation marking the victory of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany in 1945 reinforced Russia’s ties with friendly nations. The parade was a response to Western sanctions and containment. More importantly, it served as a powerful historical symbol and collective memory – a tribute to the immense sacrifices made for the victory in the global anti-fascist war and a solemn reaffirmation of that great triumph and enduring honor.
At President Putin’s invitation, President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Russia from May 7 to 10. A highlight was his attendance at Victory Day events. President Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia signals a shared commitment by China and Russia to promote an accurate understanding of World War II history, defend the post-war international order centered on the United Nations, and uphold the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, adopted in June 1945.
At the bilateral level, the two countries will continue to deepen their partnership through high-level exchanges, using the stability of their relationship to offset global uncertainty and advancing strategic coordination to safeguard international fairness and justice.
Eighty years ago, China and the Soviet Union fought side by side in the World Anti-Fascist War (‘World War II’), forging a deep friendship through shared sacrifice. At this year’s military parade in Moscow, President Putin praised the Chinese people’s significant contributions to the victory. In a signed article in Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper, President Xi Jinping also emphasized the decisive roles played by both countries. (A translation to English of President Jinping’s letter is here.)
Today, Western countries manipulate ideology through historical nihilism, double standards and discursive reconstruction, deliberately downplaying, distorting and even rewriting the historical contributions of China and the Soviet Union during World War II. By reshaping the narrative, they seek to undermine the foundations of the post-war international order and perpetuate their global dominance. Against this backdrop, the renewed call by the Chinese and Russian leaders to “jointly uphold a correct view of WWII history” serves as a powerful rebuke to historical revisionism and falsification. It reflects a shared strategic resolve to break the West’s monopoly on historical discourse and defend international justice and collective memory. This is not only a shared responsibility to safeguard historical truth but also a deep convergence between China and Russia in promoting the democratization of international relations, building a fair and equitable global order, and opposing unilateral hegemony.
On May 8, China and Russia signed a series of cooperation documents, including two major joint statements. The first focuses on further deepening the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for the new era; the second is a joint statement on global strategic stability. In addition, the two heads of state witnessed the exchange of multiple cooperation agreements in areas such as education, investment, culture, and science and technology. These documents not only ensure the continuity and stability of bilateral ties at the strategic level, but also reflect the steady deepening of practical cooperation across key sectors.
The ‘Joint Statement on Further Deepening the China-Russia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Coordination for the New Era’ not only reaffirms the two countries’ firm commitment to safeguarding the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law, it also elevates the promotion of a correct view of World War II history to a strategic element of institutionalized bilateral cooperation. Key measures include jointly organizing commemorative events, conducting research and exhibitions on the crimes of Nazi Germany and Japanese militarism, locating the remains of fallen soldiers, restoring memorial sites, and deepening cooperation on WWII historical memory in education, archives, media, and youth exchanges.
The ‘Joint Statement on Maintaining Global Strategic Stability’ reaffirms the two countries’ consistent stance on preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, safeguarding the international arms control and disarmament system, and more. It also systematically establishes a comprehensive dialogue and cooperation framework that includes nuclear security, strategic deterrence balance, and governance of militarization of emerging technologies. Notably, this statement marks the first time that biological security, chemical weapons control, and military ethics in artificial intelligence have been included in the global strategic stability agenda, signaling a significant breakthrough for China and Russia in shaping a new international security paradigm for the future.
At the bilateral cooperation level, President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin witnessed the exchange of 28 cooperation documents between China and Russia, covering areas such as trade, biosafety, investment protection, digital economy, scientific facilities, quarantine, media, film, and youth exchanges. This broad agenda strengthens traditional sectors like energy and trade, while strategically positioning both countries in emerging fields like digital economy and scientific innovation, and deepening people-to-people ties through cultural, educational, and youth cooperation.
Amid unprecedented global changes, the trajectory of China-Russia relations continues to attract international attention. Some speculate about a formal alliance or potential rifts due to diverging interests. In response, China and Russia have demonstrated through deepening cooperation that they are building a new type of major-country relationship based on “highest mutual trust, coordination, and strategic value.” As President Xi has emphasized, the relationship is driven by clear historical logic, strong internal momentum, and shared civilizational heritage, not aimed at or influenced by any third party.
History is not only a repository of memories of the past, but also serves as the foundational basis for contemporary international relations, shaping value identities and acting as the spiritual pillar for a fair and just international order. The outcomes of World War II crystallized into the cornerstone of multilateralism, with the United Nations at its core, establishing the fundamental principles that govern modern international relations. These principles, derived from the collective sacrifices of the war, have provided a framework for diplomacy, conflict resolution, and global cooperation. As the world faces new challenges, the importance of these historical lessons becomes increasingly evident – reminding us that the stability of the global order rests on our ability to respect shared values, adhere to international norms, and safeguard the multilateral system. In this context, the victory in WWII is not just a historical event, but an enduring legacy that continues to shape global governance and the international system.
The renowned Russian historian Vasily Klyuchevsky once said, “Those who refuse to learn from history will ultimately pay a heavy price for their ignorance and arrogance.” China also has a saying: ‘Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.’ The significance of history lies in guiding us forward. Upholding the achievements of WWII and safeguarding the international system centered on the United Nations is a shared responsibility and mission for both China and Russia.
Related news headlines (from the ‘World news’ page of The Multiplural World:
* The mouse that roared: U.S. suspends its exhorbitant tariffs against China and enters talks. Report by Associated Press, May 12, 2025 U.S. and Chinese officials announced an agreement on May 12 day to roll back most of their recent tariffs and call a 90-day truce in their [sic] trade war to allow for more talks on resolving their trade disputes… [‘The Mouse that Roared’ was the title of a 1954 novel by Irish-born American writer Leonard Wibberley, warning of the dangers of war and nuclear weapons. A film based on the novel was made in 1959 (here on youTube), starring Peter Sellers and the American actress Jean Seberg. Sellers played various characters in the classic, 1964 antiwar film ‘Dr. Strangelove’. Seberg (1938-1979) became a film star in France after starring in the 1960 film ‘Breathless’.]
* China, U.S. reduce majority of tariffs after two days of talks, South China Morning Post, May 12, 2025 (Read the report here in pdf format: China, U.S. reduce majority of tariffs after two days of talks)
* How the US-China trade talks beat expectations and stopped the bleeding, for now, South China Morning Post, May 12, 2025 (here in pdf format: How the US-China trade talks beat expectations and stopped the bleeding, for now)
[Associated Press and the rest of Western media is reporting the U.S. climbdown on tariffs as a measure reached jointly with China. This interpretation conveniently sees U.S. tariff aggression ‘disappear’ into a make-belive world in which both countries inexplicably decided to wage tariff war against each other and have now called a pause. This is similar to the efforts presenting the U.S. aggressor in Ukraine as some kind of potential ‘mediator’ wishing for peace between Russia and Ukraine. It’s all about diverting attention from the gathering U.S./NATO defeat in Ukraine and from the poor economic outlook for the Western countries as a whole as they deepen tariff warfare against China and other competitors. Funnily enough, a New York Times report on May 12 begins with an accurate summary: “Since re-entering office, President Trump has announced a barrage of tariffs to try to rewire the global economy….” Luckily for Western governments and media, the lame alternative media in the West is playing along with the Western ruses of a ‘tariff war’ being waged equally by the U.S. and China, leaving this media blind to the reality that of an emerging multipolar world. Alt media’s anti-Russia and anti-China prejudices prevent it from understanding reality as it is unfolding. Trump 2.0 is the mouse that roared; loudly, yes, but a mouse nonetheless.]
* The might of China’s weapons displayed in Pakistan-India clash over Kashmir and serves as a wake-up call for Taiwan leaders, South China Morning Post, Monday, May 12, 2025 …Pakistan is armed with China-manufactured aircraft, sensors and missiles. The performance of the weaponry over Kashmir underscores how Beijing’s maturing system-centric warfare doctrine and exported technology are beginning to outmatch the mixed arsenals fielded by Western-aligned militaries such as that of India. Pakistan is said to have shot down five Indian jets, including three advanced Rafale ‘4.5’ generation fighters manufactured by France, using the Chinese-made J-10C aircraft and PL-15E long-range missiles… (read the report here in pdf format: The might of China’s weapons is displayed in Pakistan-India clash over Kashmir and is a wake-up call for Taiwan leaders)
* U.S. weapons production hit by China’s curbs on rare earth exports, report in South China Morning Post, May 10, 2025 (here in pdf format: U.S. weapons production hit by China’s curbs on rare earth exports)
The plan behind Washington’s violations of the ‘One-China’ principle, analysis by Brian Berletic, in Beijing Review, May 7, 2025
