A bell-ringing ceremony is held to mark the 90th anniversary of the "September 18 Incident" at the September 18 Incident History Museum in Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning province, Sept 18, 2021. (XINHUA)

Cities around China organized memorial activities to remember the 90th anniversary of the beginning of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) on Saturday.

As part of the national events to mark the incident, bells rang and sirens wailed at 9:18 am at the September 18 Incident History Museum in Shenyang

As part of the national events to mark the incident, bells rang and sirens wailed at 9:18 am at the September 18 Incident History Museum in Shenyang.

People from all walks of life including students, veterans and soldiers attended the ceremony held in the museum.

Vehicles on nine roads and 18 streets of Shenyang also stopped and honked their horns to remember the day.

READ MORE: Ceremony held to mark China's resistance to Japan's aggression

Other cities such as Beijing, Dalian in Liaoning province, Harbin in Heilongjiang province, Xi'an of Shaanxi province sounded air defense sirens to mark the incident.

A monument is seen at the History Museum of the Sept 18th Incident in Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning province, on Sept 18, 2021. (XINHUA)

On Sept 18, 1931, Japanese troops blew up a section of the railway in Liutiaohu of Shenyang, then they accused the Chinese military of the act. Using the blast as an excuse, the Japanese attacked a garrison in the Beidaying area of the city and bombarded Shenyang on the same night, launching a full-scale invasion of Northeast China.

ALSO READ: China marks 75th anniversary of anti-Japanese war victory

The incident was the start of the 14-year war, which caused the death of over 35 million Chinese people.

People visit the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of East China's Jiangsu province, Sept 18, 2021. (FANG DONGXU / FOR CHINA DAILY)

Many museums nationwide have held commemorative activities, and the public has also carried out online memorial activities.

The Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression laid flowers to the martyrs. It also jointly held a themed concert with the September 18 Incident History Museum to look back on history and remember martyrs.