When Britain and China fought as one

by New Worker correspondent

On 1st October 1942, an American submarine sank a Japanese troop ship off Shanghai. Some 700 Japanese soldiers scrambled to safety when the Lisbon Maru went down. The 1,800-odd British POWs on board the ship were not so lucky. Many died trapped in the holds that had been sealed by the Japanese soldiers. Others managed to break through the hatches to take their chances in the water. Some were picked up by Japanese craft. Others, 384 in all, were rescued by local Chinese fishermen.
    And on 26 August, Chinese Ambassador Zheng Zeguang called on Denise Wynne, the daughter of one of the survivors, at her home in Chalford, Gloucestershire to deliver a letter from President Xi Jinping.
    Mrs Wynne had written to the leader of the People’s Republic of China to thank him for mentioning this part of history during his visit to Britain in 2015 and to express the firm support of the families of the survivors of Lisbon Maru for the friendship between the Chinese and British peoples from generation to generation.
    In his reply the Chinese President said the rescue of the POWs was an important testimony to China and the UK fighting shoulder to shoulder as allies against fascist aggression during the Second World War. It is also a historical episode epitomising the profound friendship forged between the people of our two countries. The President wrote that he knew the episode well and made a point of bringing up the story during his visit to the UK in 2015.
    President Xi stressed that this year marks the 50th anniversary of ambassadorial-level diplomatic relations between China and the UK. Over the past half a century, and owing to the hard work and dedication of numerous friendly personnel from both countries, China-UK bilateral relationship has kept moving forward. The President hopes that the families of the survivors of the Lisbon Maru will continue to work for the advancement of friendship between our two countries, and he looked forward to positive contributions from more British friends to the growth of China-UK relations.