Liugong Island has seen an increase in the number of visitors during the first half of 2104.

The number of guests visiting the first Sino-Japanese War naval headquarters went up with a double digit increase from last year. This was according to a Liugong Island management official.

Liugong Island committee deputy director Zhou Degang said the increase of visitors coming in was because of the 120th anniversary of the war. Zhou also added the committee has noticed visitors coming in individually to visit the naval base.

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Liugong Island is located in Weihai, Shandong. It served as the naval base of the Beiyang Fleet during the Jaiwu War in 1894. This was the first Sino-Japanese War where the fleet was defeated by the Japanese in 1895. After the Beiyang Fleet’s defeat, the Japanese had occupied the island for three years, until the United Kingdom bought it from the Japanese and used it as a Royal Navy base.

In 1949, after Japan reoccupied parts of China in the Second World War, the People's Liberation Army took over the island.

According to Zhou, the number of guests would increase by 15% this year to be able to reach 1.5 million. Last year, the number of visitors coming in Liugong Island dropped by 16% compared in 2012.

The island has numerous remnants of the war. This included the office were navy officials planned their tactics, forts and even an old railway. There were also two museums built on the island in memory of the war.

Singaporean tourist Kua Bak Lim said the museums showcase videos, pictures and sculptures. Lim, who has already visited three times, said it was a good place to learn history.

Chinese Academy of Social Sciences President Wang Weiguang said the Jaiwu War was a major event for China. Wang also added during the International Academic seminar for the 120th anniversary of the war that people needed to learn about the history to be able to promote peace in the middle of the complicated situations the world is currently confronting.

Last week, there were a total of 150 scholars from various countries including Singapore, Japan and South Korea who attended a seminar in Weihai which ended on Friday.

TagsLiugong Island, Jaiwu War, Sino-Japanese War, Zhou Degang, Kua Bak Lim, 120th anniversary of Jaiwu War, Wang Weiguang, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences