A ceremony to commemorate the September 18 Incident is held at the 9.18 Historical Museum in Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, on September 18. Sirens wailed and a bell tolled to commemorate the 94th anniversary of the September 18 Incident. Photo: VCG

On Thursday, China marked 94th anniversary of the September 18 Incident which marked the start of China's war of resistance against Japanese aggression with nationwide commemorations. Air-raid sirens echoed across multiple cities and towns, solemn bell-tolling ceremony was held in Shenyang, where the incident occurred, and a new film, Evil Unbound, also screened. The movie exposes the atrocities of the notorious Japanese germ-warfare unit created during World War II (WWII). Together, the tributes serve as solemn reminder to such crucial events and to strive for national rejuvenation.

A bell-tolling ceremony was held on Thursday morning in Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning Province - the place where the September 18 Incident broke out. Fourteen bell ringers jointly tolled the alarm bell 14 times, symbolizing the Chinese nation's 14 years of arduous resistance against Japanese aggression（1931-1945）, according to China Central Television (CCTV). 

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

Across the city, three minutes of air-raid sirens and vehicle horns echoed, as pedestrians stood still in a silent tribute, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Since 1995, Shenyang has sounded the air-raid alarm every year to commemorate the September 18 Incident.

In addition, more than 100 cities across the country simultaneously sounded air-raid sirens as part of the commemorations, according to the People's Daily.

Various memorial activities were also held in other places across China. 

In provinces such as Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, and Henan, soldiers visited revolutionary history museums to commemorate the anniversary, bear witness to the arduous yet glorious history, and reaffirm their commitment to safeguarding the hard-won peace of today, CCTV reported. 

Coincide with the anniversary, the highly anticipated film Evil Unbound started screening across Chinese cinemas at 9:18 am on Thursday. 

Directed by Zhao Linshan, the 125-minute movie exposes the atrocities suffered by the "Maruta" (as the human experimentation subjects were called by the Japanese army) from the perspective of civilians. The shocking scenes put on full display the crimes against humanity committed by Unit 731.

Retiree Wang Yulong was among those who watched the movie on its opening day. "We witnessed the strength of our motherland during the recent military parade on September 3. Only a strong China can prevent something like Unit 731's [Japanese germ-warfare] from ever happening again … We must remember the shameful acts committed against China and the world," said Wang.

In response to a question about the film Evil Unbound, which is now being screened in Chinese cinemas and will also be released in other countries in the coming days and whether there is a special message to Japan as several WWII-themed films have been released in China this year, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday that the purpose of China's major commemorative events to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War is to remember history, honor fallen heroes, cherish peace and create a better future. 

Films on this topic are made to remind people what can be learned from that part of history and the absolute importance of defending peace. China is an open, inclusive and safe country. We welcome people from all countries including Japan to travel, study, do business and live in China, and will continue to protect the safety of all foreigners in China, Lin said.



World at crossroads

This year's commemoration of the September 18 Incident, together with China's V-Day military parade, carries profound significance in both remembering the past and offering lessons for the present, and forming correct historical views, Zhang Yiwu, a professor of cultural studies at Peking University, told the Global Times.

More than eight decades have passed, yet the world once again finds itself at a crossroads, for example, Japan's dangerous revival of militarism and its distortion of historical truths serve as a reminder of the enduring importance of remembering history and safeguarding peace, Zhang said.

Japan is accelerating its military buildup. For example, it is reported that the Japanese Ministry of Defense is submitting a record defense budget request of 8.85 trillion yen ($59.96 billion) for fiscal year 2026, and Japan's plan to deploy upgraded Type-12 land-based anti-ship long-range missiles to Kyushu, whose range covers China's coastal area.

In response, Jiang Bin, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, said on September 10 that Japan is accelerating its military buildup, developing capabilities, including offensive weapons and equipment, which far exceed what is required for its exclusively defense-oriented policy. 

"Today, the resolve of regional countries to defend peace is stronger than ever, and we will not allow Japanese militarism to make a comeback. We urge the Japanese side to profoundly reflect on its history of aggression, earnestly respect the security concerns of its Asian neighbors and the rest of the international community, speak and act with prudence on military and security matters, and avoid repeating past mistakes," said Jiang.

According to official poster of Evil Unbound listing multiple international release countries, the Japanese market is not among them. 

On Sunday evening, the Chinese Embassy in Japan posted a bilingual Chinese-Japanese message on X, sharing the poster for the film Evil Unbound. This has sparked discussion, with some Japanese netizens calling for the film to be released in Japan.

"I'd like to watch it, but it's probably unlikely to be screened here in Japan ... I think there should be a clearer recognition in Japan about Unit 731. Without acknowledging not only the suffering from the atomic bombs but also the history of Japan's aggression toward other countries, peace education remains incomplete," @mizuni555 commented in Japanese, which gained over 100 likes, comments and retweets.

Forgetting the history of war and the immense human suffering it caused increases the risk of the country drifting once again toward armed conflict. Already, we see troubling signs of a renewed arms race and growing militarization in many parts of the world. We must learn from the past and prevent a third world war, Akira Kawasaki, a member of the Executive Committee of the Tokyo-based non-governmental organization Peace Boat, told the Global Times.