NANJING, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese people keep history firmly in their minds, never forget the past, cherish peace and look to the future, said a senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official on Sunday, noting that China is committed to the path of peaceful development.

Chen Xi, 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 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province in east China.

The historical suffering must not be forgotten and the pace of progress will never stop, said Chen, adding that under the leadership of the CPC, the achievements that China has made in national rejuvenation and prosperity and in fighting against poverty are the best tributes to all the martyrs and victims of the war.

The ceremony was held by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council at 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, which took place when Japanese troops captured the city 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.