London hosts Chinese New Year reception honoring Lisbon Maru heroes

A special Chinese New Year reception was hosted in London on Saturday by Chinese Ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang and his wife, Counsellor Hua Mei, for the families of survivors of the Lisbon Maru and members of the Society for Anglo-Chinese Understanding (SACU).

More than 100 guests attended, including relatives of British prisoners of war rescued after the sinking of the Lisbon Maru during World War II, as well as representatives dedicated to promoting China-UK friendship.

In his keynote speech, Ambassador Zheng extended festive greetings and thanked the Lisbon Maru Memorial Association (LiMMA) and SACU for their efforts over the past year to preserve the shared history of Sino-British friendship and promote people-to-people exchanges.

He recalled the bravery of fishermen from Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province, who risked their lives to rescue British POWs in 1942, and paid tribute to George Hogg for supporting the Chinese people during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. 

He said these stories remain powerful symbols of solidarity between the two nations and called for continued exchanges and cooperation to support the steady development of China-UK relations.

Remarks were also delivered by retired Major Brian Finch; Anthony Jones, Chairman of the Lisbon Maru Memorial Association; Zoe Reed, Honorary Chairman of SACU; and Peter Jarvis, grand-nephew of George Hogg and Chairman-elect of SACU.

The reception featured cultural performances by artists from Zhejiang and Shaanxi provinces. The Choir of the Chinese Embassy in the UK concluded the event with "The Same Song" and "Happy Chinese New Year," earning warm applause from the audience.