The Nanyang volunteers: a shared memory of China, Malaysia and Singapore

Abstract

In September 2025, China’s commemorations of Victory Day of the War of Resistance against Japan and Martyrs’ Day underscored crucial questions: who are China’s 21stcentury heroes and how are their legacies constructed and mobilised? A defining innovation is China’s global turn in reconstructing martyrdom, seeking out Chinese martyrs abroad and weaving their stories of sacrifice and heroism into a narrative of a “global China”. This cross-border memorialisation reveals how Beijing extends its influence through memory politics, especially among ethnic Chinese communities. However, beyond China’s national borders the Chinese party and state must navigate contexts where local actors are more knowledgeable and authoritative, necessitating compromise, cooperation and co-optation. The revival of the remembrance of the Nanyang Volunteers of the War of Resistance against Japan (1937-1945) in Malaysia and Singapore is a prominent example. The story of the Nanyang Volunteers symbolises patriotism, heroism and dedication to China, helping China build “memory alliances” with local ethnic Chinese communities and affirming the cohesion of the global Chinese nation. These memory alliances do not necessarily align with China’s formal state-to-state relations but nonetheless carry diplomatic weight. For host governments, understanding these evolving practices is critical as they may hold significant implications for both foreign policy and domestic cohesion.