Ambassador urges China-UK cooperation as WWII legacy honored at London reception
The shared history of China and the United Kingdom fighting side by side against fascism and militarism during World War II should be remembered and carried forward in the spirit of cooperation when the world's peace and stability are facing new challenges, China's ambassador to the UK has said.
"The world is undergoing the most profound and complex changes since World War II, as unilateralism and protectionism run rampant. The international system centered on the United Nations is under attack, and world peace and development face unprecedented challenges," said Zheng Zeguang. "What should we do? We should be very vigilant. We should work together."
The ambassador made the remarks at a Chinese New Year reception held in London on Saturday for members of the Lisbon Maru Memorial Association and the Society of Anglo-Chinese Understanding, or SACU.
Zheng commended the two organizations for their work in promoting people-to-people exchanges and friendship between China and the UK through commemoration of the Lisbon Maru incident and the story of George Hogg, respectively.
The Lisbon Maru was a cargo vessel used by the Japanese army to transport more than 1,800 British prisoners of war from Hong Kong to Japan during WWII. In October 1942, the ship was mistakenly struck by a US submarine off the coast of China's Zhejiang province, and local Chinese fishermen from Dongji Island rescued 384 prisoners from the sea, who would otherwise have drowned or been shot by the Japanese army.
George Hogg was a young Briton who came to China in 1938 and dedicated his life to China's fight against Japanese invaders. He first worked as a journalist writing reports for British and US media outlets that exposed Japanese atrocities. Later, he participated in the Chinese Industrial Cooperative movement on the home front, organizing the production of essential supplies and teaching young people practical skills. Hogg died in China in July 1945 at the age of 30.
