CHINA / DIPLOMACY
Embassy in UK commemorates rescue of POWs on "Lisbon Maru" by Chinese fishermen
Published: Feb 22, 2023 12:21 AM
Photo:Courtesy of Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the UK

Photo:Courtesy of Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the UK

The Chinese Embassy in the UK hosted a Spring Festival reception on February 19, in Gloucestershire, England for the survivors and relatives of the "Lisbon Maru" ship.

The event themed “Carrying forward the memory” was to commemorate the touching story of Chinese fishermen who bravely rescued British prisoners of war over 80 years ago. More than 150 representatives of the survivors and relatives of the “Lisbon Maru” ship attended the event.  

On October 1, 1942, the “Lisbon Maru”, a Japanese armed freighter with Japanese troops and more than 1800 British prisoners of war (POWs) on board, sailed from Hong Kong to Japan. 

As the ship was passing through the waters near Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, it was sunk by torpedoes fired by the US military. More than 300 British prisoners were rescued by local Chinese fishermen who risked their own lives.  

In his speech at the event, Zheng Zeguang, Chinese Ambassador to the UK hoped that the survivors and relatives of the “Lisbon Maru” ship and people from all walks of life could remember history, carry forward friendship, and make positive contributions to promoting mutual understanding and cooperation between the people of China and the UK, as well as to advancing the healthy and stable development of China-UK relations.

Denise Wynn, the daughter of the Lisbon Maru survivor Dennis Morley, introduced her letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping last year and the reply from President Xi.

On August 27, 2022, President Xi encouraged them in his reply letter to “carry forward your father’s legacy and efforts and continue to work for the advancement of friendship between our two countries.”

Wynn said that she fully felt President Xi's people-oriented style and his high regard for the friendship between the Chinese and British people.

Global Times