Trump says China should have mentioned US during ‘beautiful ceremony’
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Chinese President Xi Jinping inspecting the troops during a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on Sept 3.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
- Trump felt the US role in Japan's defeat was overlooked at China's WWII ceremony, stating "United States should have been mentioned".
- Xi Jinping showcased China's ties with countries opposing Washington, like Russia and North Korea, during the event.
- Tensions exist between the US and China over security issues, despite Trump's claims of a positive relationship with Xi.
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WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump said on Sept 3 that China’s “beautiful ceremony” marking the end of World War II should have highlighted the role that the US played in Japan’s defeat.
“I thought it was a beautiful ceremony. I thought it was very, very impressive,” he told reporters in the Oval Office, hours after he suggested on social media that foreign leaders meeting in Beijing might be conspiring against the US.
“I watched the speech last night. President Xi is a friend of mine, but I thought that the United States should have been mentioned last night during that speech, because we helped China very, very much.”
The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has made the 80th anniversary of the war’s end a major showcase for his government
Flanked by Russia President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Mr Xi spoke before a crowd of more than 50,000 spectators at Tiananmen Square.
He surveyed a parade of goose-stepping troops and cutting-edge military equipment aimed at deterring would-be adversaries, including the US.
Japan’s invasion of China in 1937 was a major escalation in fighting that would lead to World War II, and Japan’s surrender in 1945 marked the end of the conflict. The US joined the war in 1941, aiding Chinese forces fighting the Japanese military and playing a decisive role in Japan’s defeat.
Deploying history to wage present-day political battles, Mr Xi has cast World War II as a major turning point in the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” now ruled by his Chinese Communist Party and its allies.
On Sept 3, Mr Xi thanked “the foreign governments and international friends who supported and assisted the Chinese people”, according to an official.
But he did not dwell on the role of the US in the war.
US-China relations are at a tense moment. The two sides are at odds on a range of security issues, from Ukraine to the South China Sea, and are wrangling over a broad trade deal
But Mr Trump has repeatedly touted a positive personal relationship with Mr Xi that his aides say can steer the world’s two largest economies in a constructive direction. He has also said he might soon meet Mr Xi.
In a post directed at Mr Xi on the Truth Social platform as the parade kicked off, the US leader said: “Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un as you conspire against the United States of America.”
The Kremlin said they were not conspiring and suggested the remarks were ironic. REUTERS
