2009 top ten news

Top 10 heart-warming moments 2009

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-12-18 10:19

6. War dies, not love

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) meets with the members of the Japanese war orphans' delegation, who revisit China to thank their Chinese foster families, in Beijing November 11, 2009. [Xinhua]

In cold weather, 45 Japanese war orphans revisiting China to thank their Chinese foster families received a warm welcome in Beijing.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met them in the Zhongnanhai compound on Nov. 11.

Premier Wen invited the orphans, mostly in their seventies, to Zhongnanhai for talks and also accompanied them on a visit to the former residence and office of the late Premier Zhou Enlai inside the compound, who were much concerned about the war orphanage issue.

The Japanese orphans were those who had been left behind by their parents after the eight-year Japanese Aggression War against China. More than 2,800 Japanese orphans were adopted by the Chinese people and most of them went back to Japan in the 1980s and 1990s after normalization of bilateral ties.

The thanksgiving gathering was organized to express the war orphans' gratitude to their foster families, but the visit was, to some extent, an emotional one as many of their foster parents had died.

"We care about the living conditions of the orphans after they returned to Japan, and I believe that everybody will live a happy and stable life through their own efforts and by support from the Japanese government and all walks of life," said Wen in talks with the delegation.

Wen said that it was a handful of militarists who were responsible for that war of aggression, and the Japanese people were also victims of the war.

"The Chinese people, despite our own sufferings caused by the war, saved the lives of the orphans and brought them up instead of pouring their hatred on the Japanese people," said Wen.

Wen said the war orphans will feel again the love given by their foster parents and the deep friendship between the Chinese and Japanese people during their visit in China.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R3, front) and members of the Japanese war orphans' delegation visit Xihuating, the former residence and office of the late Premier Zhou Enlai, in Beijing November 11, 2009. [Xinhua]