Chinese Consul General Ma Zhanwu in Kolkata lays flowers in front of the tombs in the cemetery of the Chinese Expeditionary Force martyrs in Ramgarh of Jharkhand, India, Jan. 12, 2018. (photo by kolkata.china-consulate.org)
KOLKATA, India, Jan. 15 (ChinaMil) -- Mr. Ma Zhanwu, Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Kolkata, visited the cemetery of 667 deceased soldiers of Chinese Expeditionary Force in WWII in Ramgarh of Jharkhand on Jan. 12. These Chinese soldiers sacrificed their lives protecting India from the aggression of Japan.
Ma's entourage included working staff of the Chinese Consulate General in Kolkata and China-funded enterprises.
Ma said in an interview with Indian media including Hindustan Times that his visit to the cemetery is to remember the martyrs that devoted to justice and peace and demonstrate that the Chinese government and people will always remember their sacrifices and contributions.
He also hoped that the India media could convey his gratitude to the Indian people for their assistance in maintaining the cemetery.
Times of India quoted Consul Ma as saying in a report on the 14th that this cemetery is the witness of the World War II and the friendship between the people of China and India, he expected the cemetery will be known to more Chinese tourists.
According to the website of the Chinese Consulate in Kolkata, from 1942 to 1945, approximately 100,000 troops of the Chinese Expeditionary Force ever trained and made combat preparation in Ramgarh, they made gallant and meritorious service in fighting against Japanese invaders. There are 667 brave Chinese Expeditionary Force soldiers were buried in the cemetery in Ramgarh. Most of them are unknown martyrs and only names of 40 fallen soldiers can be seen on the tombstones.
The locality of the cemetery is now managed by the Indian Defense Ministry, overseas Chinese in India have sponsored the renovation and maintenance of the cemetery in recent years.
