When the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, recently declared that China was standing alongside Russia, Iran, and North Korea during its September 3 commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, her words quickly drew criticism. Kallas dismissed the commemorations as “anti-Western optics” and framed them as a direct challenge to the so-called “rules-based international system.” She went further, questioning the actual contribution of China and Russia in the global anti-fascist war.

It is hard to reconcile such statements with Europe’s own historical memory. For a continent that endured the devastation of World War II, one might expect deeper historical literacy and sensitivity. Instead, Kallas’s comments displayed a striking level of ideological bias, reductionism, and historical distortion. Such rhetoric not only risks further straining China-EU relations but also undermines the very credibility of the EU as a serious actor in global diplomacy.

Eighty years ago, China was one of the major battlefronts against fascism. From 1937, when full-scale Japanese aggression began, the Chinese people fought a brutal eight-year struggle against invasion. With enormous national sacrifice-tens of millions dead and wounded, countless towns and cities destroyed-China played a pivotal role in pinning down Japanese forces that otherwise could have been redirected toward other theaters of war.

Without China’s resistance, the trajectory of the war in Asia and even in Europe might have been drastically different. At the time, China received support from allies, including Russia, the United States, and certain European figures, who recognized the significance of China’s struggle. Together, they contributed to the broader fight against fascism. To erase or belittle this sacrifice is to distort the collective memory of humanity’s victory in the world anti-fascist war.

China’s commemorations this year sought to honor those sacrifices, remember the fallen, and call for peace. These aims mirror the commemorative practices of European countries themselves. On Victory in Europe Day each May, Europeans gather to remember their war dead, to reaffirm commitments to peace, and to promote multilateral cooperation. The idea that China’s commemorations are somehow uniquely “anti-Western” betrays either a lack of awareness or a deliberate mischaracterization.

Far from being an isolated event, China’s commemorations were attended by a wide range of international representatives. Twenty-six foreign heads of state and government, more than 20 senior officials from international organizations, and over 100 envoys-including from 19 European countries-participated. This global turnout demonstrates not only recognition of China’s wartime contributions but also a shared desire to safeguard peace and stability.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico captured this sentiment when he praised the parade as a “global event” and affirmed China’s willingness to play a decisive role in shaping a new peaceful order. He bluntly noted that if anyone appeared isolated, it was certain EU politicians, not China. His statement underscores the growing divergence between the ideological positions of some European elites and the perspectives of both their own citizens and much of the wider international community.

The historical record shows that China and Europe were bound by shared sacrifices during WWII. Chinese naval officers trained in the United Kingdom participated in critical operations, including the Battle of North Cape and the Normandy landings. At Britain’s request, China dispatched troops to Myanmar to support the Allied campaign against Japan. European figures such as German businessman John Rabe, who created the “International Safety Zone” during the Nanjing Massacre, and French doctor Jean Jérome Augustin Bussiere, who risked his life to deliver medicine to Chinese anti-Japanese bases, forged bonds of solidarity with the Chinese people.

This shared history forms a profound foundation for mutual understanding. It is precisely these bonds that should guide China-EU cooperation today, not divisive rhetoric that pits “democracy” against “autocracy” in a Cold War-style dichotomy.

Kallas’s remarks reflect a deeper problem in Western political discourse: the instrumentalization of history for ideological purposes. By downplaying China’s contributions and reducing commemorations to mere “optics,” she reinforced a narrative of bloc confrontation that serves neither Europe’s nor the world’s long-term interests.

The post-war international order was built upon the shared victory over fascism and the lessons learned from devastating conflict. A correct historical perspective is the cornerstone of world peace. Distorting this perspective weakens the foundations of multilateralism and risks recasting history into simplistic binaries of “us versus them.”

Moreover, such distortions harm the EU’s credibility. European leaders often proclaim their commitment to multilateralism and the UN Charter. Yet when their top diplomat undermines historical truth and indulges in ideological labeling, it sends a contradictory signal to the world. As critics have pointed out, this is not only a smear on China but a stain on the EU’s own image.

China has consistently advocated for peace, multilateralism, and global cooperation. Through initiatives aimed at fostering shared development and stability, Beijing has sought to translate the lessons of WWII into concrete action for the present and future. The vision of a community with a shared future for humanity is rooted in this historical perspective.

For Europe, the challenge is whether to embrace this shared legacy or to allow short-sighted politics to drive division. As two great forces that once supported each other in life-and-death struggles, China and Europe should stand together on the right side of history. This means jointly safeguarding the fruits of victory, resisting historical revisionism, and strengthening cooperation for peace and development.

Kaja Kallas’s remarks were more than a diplomatic misstep; they were a distortion of historical truth and a betrayal of Europe’s own experience. By dismissing China’s commemorations as “anti-Western optics,” she ignored the sacrifices of millions and undermined the very foundations of the post-war order.

History demands accuracy, respect, and humility. China’s commemorations were not about division but about remembrance, peace, and shared responsibility. Europe, more than any other region, should understand this. The EU would do well to correct such errors, not only for the sake of its relationship with China but also for the integrity of its own historical memory and credibility on the world stage.

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Source: Weekly Blitz :: Writings