The family of former U.S. General Joseph Stilwell plant a tree commemorating the 140th birthday of the general, organized in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, August 8, 2023. /CFP
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday replied to a letter from John Easterbrook, grandson of Joseph Stilwell, a late U.S. general who helped the Chinese people during China's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.
In the letter, Xi thanked Easterbrook for sharing the stories of Stilwell and his family's friendly exchanges with China for several generations.
The president also noted that commemoration events were recently held in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality to mark Stilwell's 140th birthday. He said he is pleased to see that the cause of China-U.S. friendship has been passed down to the fifth generation of the Stilwell family.
Looking back, Xi said that China and the United States fought side by side against Japanese fascists and for world peace. Looking into the future, the two countries have every reason to help each other achieve success and common prosperity, he said.
The foundation of China-U.S. relations lies in the people, and the source of strength lies in the friendship between their peoples, he added.
The two peoples should strengthen exchanges, enhance understanding and expand cooperation to continuously inject new impetus into the development of bilateral relations, Xi said, expressing his hope and belief that Easterbrook and other members of the Stilwell family would continue to contribute to the development of friendship between the two peoples. Xi also invited the Stilwell family to visit China often in the future.
Recently, Easterbrook wrote a letter to Xi, recalling Stilwell's exchanges with China and the Chinese people, introducing the efforts by the Stilwell family and his descendants to enhance cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the United States and China, paying tribute to Xi's long-term support in this regard. He also extended gratitude toward the Chinese government and people for not forgetting old friends and expressed the Stilwell family's wish and determination to promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
(With input from Xinhua)