"Just as September 11 was part of history, and Pearl Harbor, none should forget the Japanese acts," said Sha Zukang, head of the Chinese delegation to the 61st annual session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

He made the remarks in response to the statement of Itsunori Onodera, parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs of Japan, at the commission session.

Refuting Onodera's statement that what happened years ago has nothing to do with today, Sha pointed out that China experienced unprecedented aggression and misery during World War II.

"Historical lessons can serve as a guide for the future, while forgetting history means betrayal. . . . More than 10 million Chinese were brutally slaughtered during that war. This is history, and it will never be forgotten."

Sha urged Japan to face its wartime past as Germany has done, since "the greatness of a great nation lies in the fact of its courage to face its own history, and to look forward to the future."

This year is the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II.

(Xinhua News Agency March 17, 2005)