By Zheng Wanyin in London | chinadaily.com.cn

Updated: 02:23 am (GMT+8) Aug 30, 2025

More than 300 guests attend the concert held on Thursday at London’s Royal College of Music in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War. [Zheng Wanyin/China Daily]

 

A concert in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War was held on Thursday at the Royal College of Music in London.

The event featured performances by Hunan Province Song and Dance Theater and New Elements Music, a United Kingdom-based classical music ensemble consisting of young Chinese artists, with guest performers from the London City Orchestra and the Camden Philharmonia Orchestra.

Under the theme “Honor History for a Better Future”, the event presented 10 performances of classics from both the East and West, with their melodies symbolizing wartime resilience and inspiring hope, for more than 300 guests.

China’s Ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang delivers a speech at the event on Thursday in London. [Zheng Wanyin/China Daily]

 

“During the war, the Chinese people fought heroically, made huge national sacrifices, and defeated the Japanese aggressors. The Chinese people and the British people fought shoulder to shoulder as allies, made great contributions to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, and helped to establish a new international order,” said China’s Ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang in his speech at the event.

The choral performance of Defend the Yellow River, a landmark piece composed amidst the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45), and My Motherland, a beloved patriotic anthem, leaves the audience with a powerful sense of unity and pride. [Photo provided to China Daily]

 

“Tonight, we will use music to remember that part of history, and honor those who laid down their lives for the cause of the justice of humanity. We will use music to express our aspiration for world peace as well as our resolute commitment to striving for a better shared future for mankind,” he said.

Household pieces in China, including the solo piano rendition of Ode to the Yellow River and the choral performance of Defend the Yellow River, evoked memories of the wartime years when the Chinese people stood resolute against Japanese fascism.

The theme song Long Way from Home, from the documentary The Sinking of Lisbon Maru, is performed by a female vocal solo accompanied by an ensemble. [Photo provided to China Daily]

 

The theme song Long Way from Home, from the documentary The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru, was performed by a female vocal solo accompanied by an ensemble. The documentary recounts the real-life event of Chinese fishermen who braved Japanese gunfire and risked their lives to rescue British prisoners of war during World War II.

As the lyrics — “You are all someone’s father. You are all someone’s son. We call your names with pride, alone” — reverberated through the hall, they gave voice to a mother’s cry for her son, a child’s for their father, and a universal plea for peace that transcends borders and cultures.

Xiaoxiang Rhapsody blends folk melodies with orchestral textures to evoke wartime resilience. [Photo provided to China Daily]

 

Notably, the solo piano rendition of Bound by the Same Shore, accompanied by a symphony orchestra, had its overseas premiere at the event. Wang Yuzhe, founder and artistic director of New Elements Music, said the piece, in particular, conveys the younger generation’s call for peace and unity.

“As a youth-led organization, our work, from our international festivals to our support for young musicians, is driven by a shared aspiration for peace and mutual understanding. This is not just a concept; it is the very reason we exist,” said Wang.

“We hope to bring forth new voices, new talents, and new music,” he added.

Frances Wood, a British historian and former head of Chinese collections at the British Library, and Zoe Reed, chair emerita of the Society for Anglo‑Chinese Understanding, echoed the view that music is a powerful language that unites people and called for more to be done to commemorate the war victims, confront its brutality, uphold the value of peace, and preserve shared East–West memories, with China and the UK standing together against darkness.

The event was supported by the Chinese embassy in the UK, Bank of China London Branch, and Hunan Province Performing Arts Group.

China’s Ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang (center) and his wife Counselor Hua Mei (sixth from right) pose for a group photo with VIP guests at the event in London on Thursday. [Photo provided to China Daily]

 

China’s Ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang (second row, center), his wife, Counselor Hua Mei (second row, eighth from left), and Fang Wenjian, chairman of the China Chamber of Commerce in the UK and general manager of the Bank of China London Branch (second row, eighth from right), pose for a group photo with concert cast members at the event in London on Thursday. [Photo provided to China Daily]

 

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