Chinese Ambassador Feihong lauds the role of Indian soldiers during WW2

New Delhi: China’s Ambassador Xu Feihong on Monday lauded the role of Indian soldiers and the role they played during World War 2. Indian soldiers, deployed in North Africa, West Asia, and campaigns in Italy, Burma, played a significant role in World War II, serving as part of the British Indian Army. He said, “India deployed more than 2.5 million volunteer soldiers across the China-Burma-India theatre, North Africa, and European battlefields, and continuously supplied strategic resources, thus serving as a solid pillar of the Allied Eastern Theatre.”

He was making the comments at the 80th Anniversary of the Victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance. Last week, the Chinese government organised a grand parade in Beijing, attended by Russian President Putin, North Korea’s Kim Jong Un and other world leaders.

The Chinese ambassador pointed out, “The Chinese people will never forget the heroic assistance of Indians that traversed thousands of miles.” He gave examples of how in 1938, Indian Medical Mission, represented by Dr. Kotnis and Dr. Basu, went to China and provided support during the war. Dr. Kotnis set up medical stations closest to the front lines, where he saved countless Chinese soldiers and civilians, and trained numerous medical personnel. Dr. Basu committed himself in Yan’an for 6 years, introduced acupuncture to India, while devoting “rest of his life to medical exchange and friendship between China and India”, the Chinese ambassador said.

The ambassador also spoke about Trump’s tariffs on India. In response to a WION question, the ambassador said, “US has long benefited from free trade, but now it is using tariff as a kind of weapon or political tool, demand exorbitant prices from various countries..”, and that the tariffs on India are “unfair, unreasonable and China firmly opposes them”. Trump imposed 50% tariffs on India, of which 25% tariffs are because India has been importing Russian energy.

The Ambassador highlighted that “China and India enjoy close economic and trade relations” and bilateral trade in goods has grown steadily, reaching $88 billion in the first 7 months of this year, with a year-on-year increase of 10.5%. He said, China welcomes more Indian companies to promote their products and invest in China, and “we also hope that India could provide a fair, just, and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises.”