Chinese leaders led by President Xi Jinping attended an event in Beijing on Thursday to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

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At the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, a military band played the national anthem, with all participants singing along to the rhythm, and one minute of silence was observed for the fallen heroes. 

President Xi and senior officials of the Communist Party of China then paid tribute and presented flower baskets to the martyrs. 

Veterans, family members of martyrs and representatives from across of society also attended the commemorative event. 

China's contribution and loss in the war 

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The Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-1945) was an important part of WWII. It started the earliest, lasted the longest and featured the toughest conditions as well as the most sacrifices during WWII. 

China suffered over 35 million military and civilian casualties combined during the war, accounting for nearly 8 percent of China's total population in 1928. 

Rana Mitter, a professor of history at Oxford University, noted in his book "Forgotten Ally: China's World War II, 1937-1945" that the marathon struggle China waged was not just for its own dignity and survival, but for the good of all the Allies.