China — Success in History and the Future

By : Mohamed Saad Kamil

September 3 of this year marks the eightieth anniversary of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. It is also an important anniversary in the broader victory over fascism in World War II. In the face of Japan’s full-scale fascist aggression, the Chinese people were united under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China. Through cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, the united national front against Japan was strengthened, and the Chinese people waged a long and arduous national liberation struggle. China was one of the principal eastern theaters of the global fight against fascism, suffering devastating losses on the Chinese battlefront—more than 35 million dead and wounded—which made an indispensable contribution to the Allied victory over fascism. The significance of this anniversary lies not only in remembrance but also in addressing questions about the contemporary international order.
This historical turning point, in which justice prevailed over brute force, led to the creation of the postwar international system centered on the United Nations. It enshrined principles such as sovereign equality, the prohibition on threatening or using force, and the peaceful settlement of disputes as cornerstones of international law.
The Victory of China’s War of Resistance
China’s victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was not merely a military triumph; it also established foundational values for the postwar global order. The Cairo Declaration—a key document of international cooperation against fascism—explicitly called for the restoration of China’s lost territories, including Taiwan and the Penghu Islands. That declaration represented not only the recovery of Chinese sovereignty but also underscored China’s central role in the worldwide struggle against fascism.
The United Nations system, founded after the war and built on the UN Charter, institutionalized principles such as sovereign equality, the peaceful resolution of disputes, and opposition to the use of force. This institutional design was a measured institutional response to a global catastrophe. As a victorious state, a founding member of the United Nations, and a permanent member of the Security Council, China was not only a victor but a shaper of the new international order.
The wave of decolonization that the United Nations helped advance after the war enabled many peoples across Asia and Africa to achieve independence under the principles of sovereign equality, non-intervention, and respect for territorial integrity. Those principles became a final bulwark for the survival and development of regional states. To this day, ongoing complex conflicts remind us that returning disputed issues to the UN framework is the only reliable way to reconcile justice with durable peace.
However, unilateralism and bloc politics that rose and fell after the Cold War—waging wars outside UN authorization and imposing unilateral sanctions without Security Council approval—have eroded the authority of international law and mortally weakened the effectiveness of global governance. Transboundary challenges such as climate change, public health, development finance, and food security cannot be managed within narrow “small alliance” circles.
Toward Genuine Multilateralism
Confronting this reality, Xi Jinping’s diplomatic thought articulates the concept of “genuine multilateralism.” This is not merely a rhetorical reworking of old concepts; it stresses adherence to the UN Charter as the guiding framework for global mechanisms rather than bloc politics; it supports equal treatment of all states and opposes the selective application of rules as instruments of policy; it calls for resolving disputes through dialogue and political means; it urges cautious use of sanctions and force; it emphasizes inclusive development and narrowing the global North–South gap through mutually beneficial cooperation; and it promotes the provision of global public goods.
China’s recent initiatives—the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative—represent efforts to translate these ideas into concrete actions and institutional networks.
What the Commemoration Means for the Middle East
For the Middle East, this approach is not simply theoretical; it is practical. Ceasefire negotiations and conflict de-escalation require strict adherence to the Security Council framework and international humanitarian law. Reconstruction and development demand multilateral financing, capacity building, and industrial cooperation under the UN umbrella. Building a regional order requires avoiding camp-based divisions and allowing more middle powers and Global South countries to participate in agenda-setting and rulemaking. Experience shows that peace is achieved only when legitimacy is paired with effectiveness; otherwise it remains a paper commitment.
China’s commemoration of the victory in the War of Resistance repeatedly recalibrates values: it signals that force cannot trump justice; justice must be institutionalized; and peace cannot be imposed by force but must be guaranteed by mechanisms. Furthermore, one should preserve the just elements of the postwar East Asian order just as the “two-state solution” should be upheld in the contemporary West Asian (Middle Eastern) system—both reflect the will of peoples, embody UN resolutions, and symbolize the goals of peace and development.
“Genuine multilateralism” means restoring the UN’s centrality, resisting the dominance of a “club-of-rules” logic, and empowering countries with different civilizations and development paths to pursue cooperation and win-win outcomes on the basis of real equality. In today’s multipolar world—marked by widespread distrust—institutional renewal cannot be delayed. Preserving the United Nations as the cornerstone of multilateralism is the deepest way to commemorate the Chinese people’s victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and a firm pledge of commitment to humanity’s future.
History teaches us: “The imposition of power over the logic of right does not endure; constraining power by rules yields long-term success.” At this new crossroads, the international community—and especially countries of the Middle East—share a common interest in deepening cooperation under the UN’s umbrella. Let historical justice be converted into a practical order, and let the strength of institutions be the guardian of peace. That would be the truest commemoration of the triumph over fascism and a steadfast commitment to preserving global peace going forward.