BEIJING -- The rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is unstoppable, said President Xi Jinping on Wednesday as the country marked the 80th anniversary of the victory in its war of resistance against Japanese aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

The resistance war, arduous and great, marks China's first complete victory against foreign aggression in modern times, said Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, while addressing a grand commemorative gathering held in Beijing.

Noting that the victory was achieved under a national united front against Japanese aggression advocated by the CPC, he said that the Chinese people made a major contribution to the salvation of human civilization and the defense of world peace with immense sacrifice in the war, a significant part of the World Anti-Fascist War.

Only when nations across the world treat each other as equals, live in harmony and mutually support one another can common security be safeguarded, the root cause of war eliminated, and historical tragedies prevented from recurring, he said.

Today, humanity is again faced with a choice of peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, and win-win outcomes or zero-sum games, Xi said.

The Chinese people will stand firmly on the right side of history and on the side of human progress, adhere to the path of peaceful development, and join hands with the rest of world to build a community with a shared future for humanity, he said.

He called on Chinese people of all ethnic groups to stay united and work hard under the strong leadership of the CPC to build a strong country and advance national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization.

Xi demanded that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) provide strategic support for national rejuvenation and make greater contributions to world peace and development.

He asked the PLA to build itself into world-class forces and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.