"The Chinese people paid tremendous sacrifices and prices for the victory, and we should never forget that."

ZAGREB, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was an important component of the World Anti-Fascist War and contributed greatly to the ultimate victory, said Franjo Habulin, president of the Alliance of Anti-Fascist Fighters and Anti-Fascists of Croatia.

Through its nationwide war of resistance, China opened up the main Eastern battlefield of the World Anti-Fascist War, tied down and wiped out a large number of Japanese troops, providing strong support for the Allied forces in the Pacific Theater, said Habulin in a recent interview with Xinhua.

In particular, the armed forces led by the Communist Party of China employed flexible strategies and tactics to strike the Japanese army, effectively pinning down its main forces in China. This significantly weakened Japan's combat effectiveness in other areas, ultimately leading to its defeat, Habulin noted.

Through the "heroic and arduous" fighting waged by the Chinese military and civilians, the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression achieved victory after 14 years of protracted warfare. "The Chinese people paid tremendous sacrifices and prices for the victory, and we should never forget that," he said.

Habulin stressed that it was a "big mistake" for the West to underestimate or ignore China's contributions and role in the World Anti-Fascist War.

"It was precisely because of China's significant contributions that the World Anti-Fascist War achieved the ultimate victory," he said.

Recalling the anti-Fascist history of his own family, Habulin said that his parents and relatives fought bravely against the Nazi German invaders, and two of his relatives lost their lives in the fight.

"Like the Chinese people, the Yugoslav people also paid a huge price for victory in the World Anti-Fascist War," he said.

Habulin expressed concerns about the resurgence of fascism in some European countries in recent years. "The victory of the World Anti-Fascist War was won with the blood and lives of countless fighters, and we must cherish this achievement," he stressed.

With over 16,000 members, the Alliance of Anti-Fascist Fighters and Anti-Fascists of Croatia is one of the most important anti-Fascist organizations in Croatia.

It has been dedicated to upholding and promoting anti-Fascist traditions and opposing any form of neo-Fascism and Nazism. Habulin has served as its president since 2013.