China hit back on Sept 2 at Japan’s latest complaints over United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s visit to China for V-Day commemorations.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters in Beijing that China has noted the reports and the clear position outlined by the UN.

“At such a moment when the international community is marking the 70th anniversary of victory in the World Anti-Fascist War in various forms, the ... comments by Japan are completely making trouble out of nothing,” Hua said.

China expects Japan to “take a humble attitude, face the past squarely and express deep remorse over the militarist history of aggression”, Hua added.

She reiterated that the events being held by the Chinese government on Sept 3 are to “remember history, recall the martyrs, cherish peace and open up to the future”.

Asked about Japan’s concerns over his visit to China, Ban said in New York, “The whole world is now commemorating the 70th anniversary of the ending of World War II, the most tragic in the history of human beings.”

Xinhua News Agency quoted Ban as saying it is important to look to the past to see the lessons that have been learned “and how we can move ahead to a brighter future” based on these lessons.

Yoshihide Suga, Japan’s top government spokesman, said on Aug 31 that Tokyo had complained to the UN over Ban’s China visit, which includes attending the military parade in Tian’anmen Square on Sept 3.

Suga called for the UN to be “neutral”, adding, “We want to encourage member countries to look to the future and not to focus unnecessarily on particular events in the past.”

Ban’s spokesman Stephane Dujarric told a daily media briefing in New York on Aug 31, “The secretary-general’s thinking behind attending the ceremony in Beijing is that he’s attended ceremonies in Ukraine, in Poland, as well as in Moscow.”

Zhang Junshe, a senior researcher at the PLA Naval Military Studies Research Institute, said Japan’s criticism of Ban disrespects “the regular missions of the UN secretary-general” and is aimed at deliberately disturbing China in hosting the commemorations.