BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a speech at a ceremony on Monday marking the 77th anniversary of the start of the Chinese people's war of resistance against Japanese invasion.

This grand ceremony is held to recall history, commemorate martyrs, cherish peace and sound a warning to the future, said Xi, who is also the general-secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission.

"We firmly take the path of peaceful development and safeguard world peace," he said at the Museum of the War of the Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

"History is history and facts are facts. Nobody can change history and facts. Anyone who intends to deny, distort or beautify history will not find agreement among Chinese people and people of all other countries," Xi said, referring to concern that Japan is trying to distort its aggression history.