Chongqing holds commemorations for 140th anniversary of General Stilwell's birth

Chongqing held a series of events on Tuesday to commemorate the 140th anniversary of the birth of US General Joseph Stilwell, a hero fondly remembered for fighting against the Japanese invasion side by side with the Chinese people.

The mega city in southwest China used to be a temporary wartime capital during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45). The general's residence in Chongqing was converted into a museum dedicated to the American military leader and opened to the public in 1991.

Themed "Remember Our Shared Struggle for Peace, Carry on China-US People-to-People Friendship", the commemorations include a photo exhibition, a symposium, planting friendship trees and field visits in Chongqing.

Over 150 attendees, including representatives of Chinese and American governments, academia, businesses and media participated in the events, including his great-granddaughters, Susan Mai Easterbrook Cole and Nancy Easterbrook Millward.

The General's grandson John Easterbrook, an 82-year-old retired Army colonel, has helped the museum with exhibits throughout 17 visits to China. But he could not make it to the anniversary event this year due to health conditions. He addressed the audience via a video link at the opening ceremony of the symposium.