Ho Manli, daughter of Ho Fengshan, meets Italian children who came to the Garden of Monte Stella on Wednesday, March 14, 2018, to honor humanitarian heroes including Ho Fengshan they have learnt about in classrooms. [Photo: China Daily]

A square in Italy has been named after late Chinese diplomat Ho Fengshan, who is known as "China's Schindler" for his role in rescuing thousands of Jews during World War II, reports Chinanews.com.

On Wednesday, a stone plaque was unveiled at a ceremony inside the Garden of Monte Stella in Milan to recognize Ho's humanitarian deeds. And on Thursday, Piazzetta Ho Fengshan, located in Milan's Chinatown, was named in his honor.

This is the first time an Italian city has named a place after a Chinese person.

During his time as China's Consul-General in Vienna from 1938 to 1940, Ho issued Shanghai visas for thousands of Jews, helping them to flee from Europe and escape the Holocaust. For his work he was awarded the title of "Righteous among the Nations" in 2001 by Yad Vashem, Israel's national Holocaust memorial.

Ho Fengshan died in the United States in San Francisco in 1997. He was 96 years old.