Australia commemorates 85th anniversary of wharfies' protest against Japanese atrocities in China

WOLLONGONG, Australia, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- A ceremony was held on Wednesday in Australia's Port Kembla to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the Dalfram Dispute, during which Australian workers protested to support China's fight against Japanese aggression.

At the ceremony, China's acting Consul General in Sydney Wang Chunsheng paid tribute to the noble actions of the wharfies.

"The long and enduring friendship between China and Australia has grown stronger over the years. We are here today to honor the memory of the elder generation and learn from history, to cherish peace, to inherit friendship, and to create a better future," Wang noted.

During the ceremony, representatives of the two countries laid wreaths at the Dalfram Dispute Memorial.

On Nov. 15, 1938, Port Kembla witnessed one of the most resounding events in its history -- the Dalfram Dispute, where 180 courageous Australian workers refused to load pig iron onto the cargo steamer SS Dalfram, as they found that the raw materials would be used in the manufacture of weapons to fuel Japan's invasion of China.

Located some 90 km south of Australia's Sydney, Port Kembla serves as an international trade gateway for agricultural, construction, and mining industries in the state of New South Wales, which operates 24 hours a day and seven days a week.