Chinese contribution to the prevention of spread of fascism in the East was substantial, which may perhaps not be the best known part of WWII history, Eva Pejsova, a senior analyst with the European Union Institute for Security Studies, told Xinhua recently in an interview.

China's underlying its contribution to the victory of allied forces in WWII aims to remind to the world that China has always been on the "just" (versus "evil") side of history, and that it aims to continue in this trend, she said.

When speaking at the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced to cut China's troops by 300,000, and said that China will never seek hegemony or expansion.

Throughout the speech, President Xi highlights China's commitment to global peace, prosperity and development, which is a constant in Beijing's discourse. The willingness to jointly uphold the international order and system underpinned by the principles of the UN Charter is certainly good news, for Europe and the world, assuming it is accompanied by equal understanding and respect of core international norms and values, she said.

China's increasingly active involvement in global governance networks, as well as its own newly-launched regional and global initiatives, clearly proves its intention to shape "a new type of international relations", said Pejsova.

"Whether this will be truly based on equality and win-win cooperation depends on whether China's action will follow its peaceful discourse, as well as on the willingness and understanding of all parties," she said.

She said that Xi in the speech noted the need to "bear history in mind" and "learn the lessons of history" can be viewed as a message to Japan, which is criticized in China for historical revisionism and rising ambitions as a security actor.