IN-DEPTH / IN-DEPTH
Witness to history: Senior war veteran shares joy of shaking hands with President Xi: 'the happiest and most fulfilling moment of my life'
Pride in prosperity
By , and Lin Xiaoyi Published: Sep 07, 2025 09:16 PM
Editor's Note:
On September 3, 2025, at the Tian'anmen Rostrum in Beijing, a cohort of extraordinary senior citizens sat upright in their wheelchairs. Despite their age and physical constraints, they held their heads high, just as they had done when standing at attention before heading off to battle all those years ago.
They are Shen Bingchen, Zhang Ping, Liu Shiyue, Fu Ying, Luo Jinghui, and Song Qixiang, six veteran soldiers and comrades who emerged from the flames of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45). The oldest among them is over 100 years old, while the youngest is 94.
Ahead of the ceremony, Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stepped onto the Tian'anmen rostrum, shaking hands with Chinese war veterans in turn.
The Global Times spoke with two of these veterans, capturing their reflections on an arduous wartime past and their feelings of pride amid the solemn occasion of honoring the war victory.
This story is also part of the Global Times' "Witness to History" series, which features first-hand accounts from individuals who were at the forefront of historic moments.
From scholars, politicians, and diplomats, to veterans and ordinary citizens, their authentic reflections on the impact of historical moments help reveal a sound future for humanity through the solid steps forward taken in the past and present.
For 95-year-old veteran Luo Jinghui, a handshake on the Tian'anmen Rostrum became a moment of a lifetime.
The white-haired hero, dressed impeccably in a black suit, felt his eyes well up with pure joy when he reflected on the moment he met Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, while attending China's V-Day commemorations.
"I never imagined they'd invite me to sit at Tian'anmen. As I was going up to Tian'anmen, seated in the first row, I saw President Xi arrive," Luo shared with the Global Times on Wednesday after the ceremony in Beijing. "He shook hands with each of us. I held his hand with both of mine. I am very happy, very blessed."
"President Xi held my hand tightly and called me an old hero. This was the happiest and most fulfilling moment of my life," Luo said. "This recognition is not just for me; it reflects care for all veterans of the War of Resistance, and serves as a reminder of our history," he said.
Born in 1930 in Luowu village in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), Luo joined the Hong Kong and Kowloon Independent Brigade of the Dongjiang (East River) Column in March 1943 at the tender age of 13, serving as a communications officer and guard under Captain Wang Jin. The Dongjiang Column was a guerrilla front led by the CPC to fight against Japanese aggression, and the Independent Bridge was the only anti-Japanese armed force that persisted in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong.
Over the next two-and-a-half years, the cohort sank numerous Japanese ships. Looking back on the difficult wartime years, Luo's memories remain vivid. "In the battles in Hong Kong, our Hong Kong and Kowloon Independent Brigade lost 115 members. And more people sacrificed for the victory of the resistance nationwide," he told the Global Times.
At that time, China's military industry was very underdeveloped. Luo candidly admitted that he'd felt fear when fighting against enemies with vastly superior weapons and equipment. He recalled his first battle, during which he'd personally witnessed the sacrifice of both his captain and squad leader. "But when the enemy came to invade our homeland and kill our loved ones, despite my great fear, I had to fight and drive them out!" he said.
After the war, Luo became a soldier in the 4th regiment of the Guangdong-Jiangxi-Hunan border column, and participated in the War of Liberation (1945-1949). He later worked for many years in Guangdong Province, serving as the Party branch secretary at a textile industry company in Shenzhen, and retired in Hong Kong in 1991. In July, when the Shandong aircraft carrier formation visited Hong Kong, Luo was invited to board the aircraft carrier.
On the Tian'anmen Rostrum this time, Luo witnessed with his own eyes a variety of new-type weapons and equipment. "This is the third time I have been invited to attend a military parade; the previous two were in 1999 and 2015. Compared with the two previous occasions, our weapons and equipment have achieved new breakthroughs," said Luo. "I saw with my own eyes how formidable our national defense capabilities are and how powerful our country has become! Only with a strong national defense can we protect ourselves from foreign aggression."
He emphasized that today's peace was achieved through enormous sacrifice and must be cherished. "Our lives today are millions of times better than in the past, but this happiness did not come easily. We must cherish our nation, strive to make it greater, and ensure our people live in security and prosperity," Luo noted.
Like many other WWII veterans, Luo once guarded China and has now witnessed decades of the country's development and prosperity. Reflecting on this journey, he urged younger generations to uphold the spirit of their revolutionary predecessors. "The peaceful environment we enjoy today requires our care and dedication," he said.
"We must continue to strive; build and develop the Chinese nation even better; and make more outstanding contributions to our country and world peace," he told the Global Times.
On September 3, 2025, at the Tian'anmen Rostrum in Beijing, a cohort of extraordinary senior citizens sat upright in their wheelchairs. Despite their age and physical constraints, they held their heads high, just as they had done when standing at attention before heading off to battle all those years ago.
They are Shen Bingchen, Zhang Ping, Liu Shiyue, Fu Ying, Luo Jinghui, and Song Qixiang, six veteran soldiers and comrades who emerged from the flames of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45). The oldest among them is over 100 years old, while the youngest is 94.
Ahead of the ceremony, Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stepped onto the Tian'anmen rostrum, shaking hands with Chinese war veterans in turn.
The Global Times spoke with two of these veterans, capturing their reflections on an arduous wartime past and their feelings of pride amid the solemn occasion of honoring the war victory.
This story is also part of the Global Times' "Witness to History" series, which features first-hand accounts from individuals who were at the forefront of historic moments.
From scholars, politicians, and diplomats, to veterans and ordinary citizens, their authentic reflections on the impact of historical moments help reveal a sound future for humanity through the solid steps forward taken in the past and present.
The 95-year-old veteran Luo Jinghui of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War Photo: Cao Siqi/GT
For 95-year-old veteran Luo Jinghui, a handshake on the Tian'anmen Rostrum became a moment of a lifetime.
The white-haired hero, dressed impeccably in a black suit, felt his eyes well up with pure joy when he reflected on the moment he met Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, while attending China's V-Day commemorations.
"I never imagined they'd invite me to sit at Tian'anmen. As I was going up to Tian'anmen, seated in the first row, I saw President Xi arrive," Luo shared with the Global Times on Wednesday after the ceremony in Beijing. "He shook hands with each of us. I held his hand with both of mine. I am very happy, very blessed."
"President Xi held my hand tightly and called me an old hero. This was the happiest and most fulfilling moment of my life," Luo said. "This recognition is not just for me; it reflects care for all veterans of the War of Resistance, and serves as a reminder of our history," he said.
Born in 1930 in Luowu village in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), Luo joined the Hong Kong and Kowloon Independent Brigade of the Dongjiang (East River) Column in March 1943 at the tender age of 13, serving as a communications officer and guard under Captain Wang Jin. The Dongjiang Column was a guerrilla front led by the CPC to fight against Japanese aggression, and the Independent Bridge was the only anti-Japanese armed force that persisted in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong.
Over the next two-and-a-half years, the cohort sank numerous Japanese ships. Looking back on the difficult wartime years, Luo's memories remain vivid. "In the battles in Hong Kong, our Hong Kong and Kowloon Independent Brigade lost 115 members. And more people sacrificed for the victory of the resistance nationwide," he told the Global Times.
At that time, China's military industry was very underdeveloped. Luo candidly admitted that he'd felt fear when fighting against enemies with vastly superior weapons and equipment. He recalled his first battle, during which he'd personally witnessed the sacrifice of both his captain and squad leader. "But when the enemy came to invade our homeland and kill our loved ones, despite my great fear, I had to fight and drive them out!" he said.
After the war, Luo became a soldier in the 4th regiment of the Guangdong-Jiangxi-Hunan border column, and participated in the War of Liberation (1945-1949). He later worked for many years in Guangdong Province, serving as the Party branch secretary at a textile industry company in Shenzhen, and retired in Hong Kong in 1991. In July, when the Shandong aircraft carrier formation visited Hong Kong, Luo was invited to board the aircraft carrier.
On the Tian'anmen Rostrum this time, Luo witnessed with his own eyes a variety of new-type weapons and equipment. "This is the third time I have been invited to attend a military parade; the previous two were in 1999 and 2015. Compared with the two previous occasions, our weapons and equipment have achieved new breakthroughs," said Luo. "I saw with my own eyes how formidable our national defense capabilities are and how powerful our country has become! Only with a strong national defense can we protect ourselves from foreign aggression."
He emphasized that today's peace was achieved through enormous sacrifice and must be cherished. "Our lives today are millions of times better than in the past, but this happiness did not come easily. We must cherish our nation, strive to make it greater, and ensure our people live in security and prosperity," Luo noted.
Like many other WWII veterans, Luo once guarded China and has now witnessed decades of the country's development and prosperity. Reflecting on this journey, he urged younger generations to uphold the spirit of their revolutionary predecessors. "The peaceful environment we enjoy today requires our care and dedication," he said.
"We must continue to strive; build and develop the Chinese nation even better; and make more outstanding contributions to our country and world peace," he told the Global Times.
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