Descendants of foreign war veterans said they were honoured that their family members had fought alongside the people of China, adding that the Chinese war effort had contributed significantly to the end of the Second World War.

The role of foreign soldiers was highlighted in a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday marking the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

Speaking at the event, 74-year-old Yokichi Kobayashi, whose father Kiyoshi fought alongside Eighth Route Army soldiers during the Sino-Japanese war, said his family was proud and honoured that his father had changed sides.

Kiyoshi Kobayashi enlisted in the Japanese army in 1938 at the age of 20. He was sent to China to fight in the war the following year, and was wounded and captured by the Eighth Route Army in 1940.

He ended up choosing to join the Chinese army to fight against his own country, having realised that Japan's invasion was incorrect and that he too had been a victim. He stayed in China after the war ended.

Joining the Chinese army was "a glorious chapter in my father's life," Yokichi said, adding that his father had written articles for newspapers about the war.

Nikolai Chuikov, grandson of Soviet marshal Vasily Chuikov who assisted Chinese soldiers on the battlefield against Japan, said Chinese and Russians had together made tremendous sacrifices that also helped to contain fascist forces in the European war theatre.

Nikolai, who's also vice chairman of the Russia-China Friendship Association, warned that there are still people trying to distort history.

He stressed it's important to tell the truth about the war while also defending the hard-won peace.