Nanjing Holds Ceremony To Remember Massacre Victims

A ceremony has been held in Nanjing on Sunday to remember those killed when Japanese troops captured the city in 1937, when it was the capital of China.

The national flag flew at half mast, the national anthem was played and sirens blared as participants observed a moment of silence.

In a speech, a member of the Politburo, Chen Xi, said Chinese people love peace and are against all sorts of aggression or hegemony.

The head of the Communist Party's Central Committee added that the party had demonstrated remarkable leadership abilities amid the coronavirus pandemic and stressed people should continue to staunchly back the party's rule.

Chen also said China seeks to develop a peaceful and friendly relationship with Japan going forward.

Also known as the 'Rape of Nanking', Beijing says 300,000 people died in the massacre 83 years ago.

However, many Japanese nationalists insist the figure had been inflated.