"The purpose of the memorial ceremony for Nanjing Massacre victims is to recall that every good-hearted person yearns and holds a firm stance of peace, but [it] does not try to prolong hatred," Xi said at the ceremony as quoted by the Xinhua.
The Nanjing Massacre was committed by the Japanese troops during the Second Sino-Japanese War. During a six-week period in December 1937 over 300,000 Chinese civilians were killed by the Imperial Japanese Army, and about 20,000 Chinese women were raped, the Xinhua said.
"We should not bear hatred against an entire nation just because a small minority of militarists launched aggressive wars. The responsibilities for war crimes lie with a few militarists, but not the people. However, we cannot at any time forget the severe crimes committed by aggressors," he said as quoted by the Xinhua.
In February 2014, China designated December 13 as the National Memorial Day for Nanjing Massacre Victims to remember those who died in the tragic events of 1937.
