To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, Beijing-based Foreign Languages Press published a photo book documenting Chinese and American soldiers fighting side-by-side during the war.

"The book we are launching today has a collection of true stories and more than 400 photos taken by both American and Chinese photographers during the war. This book gives us an in-depth understanding of what happened 70 years ago and reconfirms the importance of peace for the world," said Zhang Qiyue, Chinese consul general in New York, in remarks on Thursday at a ceremony for the book at BookExpo America (BEA).

"Both the Chinese and American people have experienced mortality in war, which makes us value peace more than anyone else. Recollecting wartime memories is not dwelling on the past; rather, it is a call for peace and reconciliation for the future," she added.

The book, Shared Memories of the US and China: The Pacific War Against Japanese Aggression, is edited, translated and distributed by the China International Publishing Group. A photo exhibit with images from the book was on display at the Javits Convention Center, site of BEA.

Fang Zhenghui, vice-president of the China International Publishing Group, said that the book is meant to take readers on a "journey through time and space" to teach them about moments of suffering 70 years ago when Chinese and American soldiers fought Japan.

"The hard and glorious years left an indelible mark on the memories of people in China and US," he said. "We have a shared memory of the past, and we also have shared hope for the future."

China is the Guest of Honor for this year's book fair, the largest North American book publishing trade show. Zhang said that she hopes that China's participation will give American readers a chance to better understand the stories coming out of China.

In addition to this year being the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, it is the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, which the consul general said is an important time for countries to "look back in history and renew the commitment to peace and stability of the world."

World leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, will come to New York in September for commemorative UN activities. Xi also will meet with US President Barack Obama at the White House. It will be Xi's first US visit since becoming president.

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