Xinhua
21 May 2026, 18:46 GMT+10
(260521) -- ZHOUSHAN, May 21, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Descendants of former British prisoners of war (POWs) aboard the Lisbon Maru shed tears during the commemorative ceremony on the Lisbon Maru rescue, on Dongji Island in Zhoushan, east China's Zhejiang Province, May 19, 2026. Twenty descendants of British POWs aboard the Lisbon Maru gathered in Zhoushan for a commemorative ceremony honoring a remarkable act of courage from Tuesday to Wednesday.
After the flowers were laid, relatives of British soldiers and local fishermen's descendants took up shovels. Together, they planted a boxwood sapling, a gesture intended to symbolize a friendship that has outlived war and distance.
In October 1942, the Lisbon Maru, a cargo vessel requisitioned by the Japanese army to transport more than 1,800 British POWs from Hong Kong to Japan, was torpedoed off the Zhoushan Islands by a U.S. submarine after failing to display mandated POW transport markings.
Local Chinese fishermen, despite Japanese soldiers firing into the water, made 65 trips in 46 small wooden sampans to rescue 384 British POWs from the sinking ship. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang)
Get a daily dose of Bristol Star news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Bristol Star.
More InformationLONDON, U.K.: Britain's second most senior diplomat in Washington, James Roscoe, has left his post, the British Foreign Office said...
HONG KONG: Standard Chartered said on May 19 that it will eliminate more than 7,000 jobs over the next four years as the bank increases...
LONDON/NEW YORK CITY: The war involving the United States, Israel and Iran has already cost companies around the world at least US$25...
LONDON, U.K.: Prince William plans to sell portions of the Duchy of Cornwall over the next decade to help finance more than £500 million...
(260521) -- ZHOUSHAN, May 21, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Descendants of former British prisoners of war (POWs) aboard the Lisbon Maru shed tears...
by Xinhua writer He Fei BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin for tea...
MALE, Maldives: Italy's Foreign Ministry said this week that rescuers have found the bodies of the four Italian divers who went missing...
LONDON, U.K.: Britain's second most senior diplomat in Washington, James Roscoe, has left his post, the British Foreign Office said...
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Malaysia's defense minister said on May 19 that the country has sent a notice to Norway asking for more than...
WASHINGTON/DUBAI: U.S. President Donald Trump said on May 19 that the United States might need to carry out another strike on Iran....
CARACAS, Venezuela: Ten days after the state confirmed to Carmen Navas that her son had died in state custody, the 82-year-old passed...
DUBLIN, Ireland: Fifteen people who avoided paying tolls on the M50 motorway, including car, truck, and van owners, were fined a total...
