Chongqing salutes General Stilwell's lasting legacy

Stories about the late United States Army General Joseph Stilwell have never been forgotten in Chongqing, and new chapters have been added to the saga.

On Tuesday, to commemorate 140 years since Stilwell's birth on March 19, 1883, the city held a series of events fondly remembering the hero who fought side by side with the Chinese people during the latter part of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45).

In front of Stilwell's former residence, a three-story cliff house near the Jialing River, his great-granddaughters Susan Mai Easterbrook Cole and Nancy Easterbrook Millward planted an osmanthus tree, which symbolizes friendship, loftiness and peace, together with Liu Ning and Liu Yinna, the great-grandson and great-granddaughter, respectively, of Chinese People's Liberation Army Commander-in-Chief Zhu De.

Although the two military leaders never met, they admired and respected each other, forming a deep cross-national friendship while resisting Japan's aggression. Their descendants have continued the friendship over the years.

Chongqing served as the nation's temporary capital during the war. The general's residence in the city was converted into a museum dedicated to his service that opened to the public in 1994.

Stilwell is the only high-ranking US military figure who has a museum dedicated to his memory in China.

Themed "Remember our shared struggle for peace: Carry on China-US people-to-people friendship", the commemorations on Tuesday included, in addition to the planting of friendship trees, a photo exhibition, a symposium and field visits in Chongqing.

"Stilwell's legacy of friendship with the Chinese people and the contributions that flowed from that friendship should be remembered and built upon," the general's grandson John Easterbrook told the audience via video link during the opening ceremony of the symposium.

The Stilwell Museum has contributed and will continue to contribute to remembering his legacy by hosting people-to-people activities, he added.

"The Chinese people never forget a friend … and Stilwell certainly was a friend," Easterbrook said.

The 82-year-old Easterbrook, a retired Army colonel, has been assisting the museum with exhibits and has visited China 17 times. But he could not make it to the anniversary event this year because of health issues.

Qiu Wenxing, deputy director of the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at the symposium that the people of the two countries need to carry on the friendship fostered by General Stilwell.

"Both history and reality have proved that China and the US have more common interests than differences," Qiu said. "History shows that when we properly handle each other's core and major interests, China-US relations will grow smoothly. Otherwise, they will be in trouble."

During a speech at the symposium, Jason Rubin, a representative in China of the US State Department, urged more direct engagement and communication between the two nations.

"General Stilwell's legacy is not merely one of military achievement, but one of mutual respect, shared purpose and the spirit of cooperation," he said.

"His commitment to fostering a partnership with China during the darkest days of World War II laid the foundation for an enduring relationship between the people of our nations that long outlasted Stilwell's presence in China," Rubin added.

Stilwell, who died in 1946 and was a four-star general in the US Army, visited China five times between 1911 and 1944 and lived in China for 12 years. Stilwell served in many positions, including chief of staff of the allied China theater, commanding general of the US Army forces in the China-Burma-India theater, and the US representative to the allied war councils in the China-Burma-India Theater.