NANJING, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese people hold history firmly in mind, never forget the fallen heroes, cherish peace and look to the future, a senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official said on Saturday, highlighting China's commitment to a path of peaceful development.

Shi Taifeng, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the CPC Central Committee's Organization Department, made the remarks while attending a national memorial ceremony to mourn the approximately 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province in east China.

The gathering solemnly commemorated the victims of the massacre and all Chinese who died due to Japanese aggression, honoring revolutionary martyrs, national heroes, and foreign fighters and friends who sacrificed their lives in China's struggle against the Japanese invaders, Shi said.

Shi also underscored the need to carry forward the great spirit of the War of Resistance, advance with determination, strive to promote China's modernization and national rejuvenation, and make greater contributions to the cause of peace and progress for humanity.

The ceremony was held by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council at the public square of the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing.

In 2014, China's top legislature designated Dec. 13 as the national memorial day for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre. The massacre took place when Japanese troops captured the then-Chinese capital on Dec. 13, 1937.

The Japanese invaders brutally killed about 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers during the six-week massacre, making it one of the most barbaric episodes of World War II. Enditem