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Past Foes 50 Years After
The evening of February 21 saw a group of 11 American veterans out of the 1950-53 Korean War, led by US deputy assistant defense secretary Robert Jones, visited the Chinese Embassy in the US. In the get-together, a hope expressed by both sides was that China and the US join hands to avoid new war tragedies and create a peaceful future.
These 11 US veterans with their families had ever been invited on a visit to China and met last January with their past foes or one-time war enemies as veterans of the Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) during the 1950s Korean War.
Chinese Minister to the US Liu Xiaoming spoke highly of their visit to China when meeting with them on the evening, saying that this reflected the Chinese government's good wish to enhance Sino-US ties and the two countries have common interests in many areas.
Sino-US ties not only benefit the peoples of the two countries but are also of great importance to Asia-Pacific stability and world peace, said Liu, adding that the two powers have no reason to confront each other and mutual understanding between the two peoples should be enhanced.
Robert Jones, who is in charge of POWs/missing personnel affairs, thanked China-side appropriate arrangements made by the Red Cross Society, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant military departments, under whose efforts the veterans can meet 50 years later. He also said the two nations should shake off shadow overcast by the war to head for future peace.
Jones hoped Chinese veterans could visit the US coming summer. He also revealed that the US Department of Defense had made formal application to send experts to Tibet to inspect the wreckage of American planes crashed in WWII, believing China would offer full assistance as did in Guilin.
In a friendly atmosphere, the American veterans told their feelings about their China visit, saying the two peoples should co-exist friendly and give up all hostility.
By PD Online Staff Li Heng
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