China holds national commemoration for Nanjing Massacre victims

China on Friday held a memorial ceremony to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre that took place during World War II.

Residents in east China's Nanjing City paid their respects. More than 80 young people read aloud a declaration of peace, and citizen representatives struck the Bell of Peace.

White doves, symbolizing hope for peace, were released to fly over the square.

The Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, located at a burial site for massacre victims, opened to the public in 1985.

Since it became the main venue for the national memorial ceremony in 2014, the hall has attracted approximately 5 million visitors every year.