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Peking University Symposium: Understanding China's Wartime Legacy

On November 2 and 3, 2025, Peking University hosted an international academic symposium that brought together nearly 100 distinguished scholars. The focus was on the history of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and Taiwan's restoration to China, examined through a global lens. With participants hailing from the Chinese mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, and countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan, the event aimed to broaden academic perspectives and spark deeper discussions about the implications of this critical historical period.

The opening ceremony featured several keynote addresses from prominent figures in the field. Notable speakers included Zhang Baijia from the Institute of Party History and Literature, Lu Fang-sang from Academia Sinica in Taiwan, and Hans van de Ven from the University of Cambridge. Their talks set the tone for an enriching series of discussions that occurred during the symposium.

The conference was organized into 20 parallel panel sessions and a roundtable discussion, allowing attendees to delve into various topics related to wartime history. This structure encouraged interdisciplinary dialogue and offered a platform for attendees to revisit historical narratives from diverse perspectives. Areas of focus included economics and finance, military affairs, international relations, aid communication, cultural ideologies, and law and society.

One of the symposium's primary aims was to foster an authentic, balanced narrative regarding China’s war of resistance, challenging perceptions shaped by historical contexts. The event also provided a space for scholars from both sides of the Taiwan Strait to engage in meaningful dialogue, aimed at strengthening unity and advocating for the shared goal of national reunification.

This year marks a significant milestone, as it is the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance as well as Taiwan's restoration to China. Through this symposium, Peking University not only endeavored to promote a consensus around historical facts but also aimed to expand understanding across the Taiwan Strait.

By facilitating in-depth academic exchanges, the symposium enriched the discourse surrounding China's wartime history, emphasizing its enduring relevance and the necessity to recognize its multifaceted influences. The quality and depth of discussion encouraged a reevaluation of historical events and underscored the importance of collaborative scholarly efforts across boundaries.

As this gathering of distinguished scholars concluded, the collective insights gained are expected to pave the way for ongoing dialogues regarding history, identity, and future cooperation among scholars and policymakers both in China and globally.