Picture of a bell-tolling ceremony held in Shenyang on September 18, 2025 to mark the 94th anniversary of the September 18 Incident Picture: CCTV

A bell-tolling ceremony was held on Thursday in Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning Province — the place where the September 18 Incident broke out — to mark the 94th anniversary. Fourteen bell ringers jointly tolled the alarm bell 14 times, symbolizing the Chinese nation's 14 years of arduous resistance against Japanese aggression, according to China Central Television. 

The solemn ritual served as a reminder for people never to forget national humiliation and to strive for national rejuvenation. About 1,000 representatives from all walks of life attended the commemorative event, according to CCTV.

Thursday marks 94th anniversary of the September 18 Incident that marked the start of Japan's invasion of China.

At 9:18 am on Thursday, air raid sirens wailed across the skies of Liaoning Province. Cities throughout the province simultaneously sounded alarms as pedestrians stopped, vehicles pulled over and honked, and ships and trains blew their whistles — all to remember history.

In recent days, several places in China have held ceremonies to mark the anniversary. On September 15, for instance, a middle school in Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province, staged a flag-raising ceremony under the theme of never forgetting national humiliation, where teachers and students paid tribute to revolutionary martyrs and received a lesson in patriotism, according to Hebei Daily.

In Binzhou, Shandong Province, primary school students attended a class on September 17 in which a lecturer recounted the history of the Communist Party of China, giving students a direct understanding of the Party's growth and development. The event was part of activities marking the anniversary of the September 18 Incident, local media reported.

Global Times