This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the UK, and also the 77th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. At 6:30 p.m. UK local time on September 2, the British chapter of "The Asia-Pacific War Trial" produced by the Shanghai Radio and Television Documentary Center held a documentary screening event at the BAFTA headquarters in central London. Nearly 100 spectators came. Went to watch the video.

Screening scene

The British chapter of "The Asia-Pacific War Trial" recorded the story of the heroic rescue of British prisoners of war on the "Lisbon Maru" by fishermen in Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province in 1942 during World War II. In the early morning of October 2, 80 years ago, a merchant ship "Lisbon Maru" without any flags, carrying 1,816 British prisoners of war sailed from Hong Kong to Yokohama, Japan. The ship sank when it was torpedoed by a U.S. submarine while passing near Dongji Island, China. The prisoners of war had to rush to the deck and jump into the sea to escape under Japanese machine gun fire. 198 Chinese Zhoushan fishermen went out to rescue the drowning British soldiers regardless of their lives.

"Asia Pacific War Trial" poster

Among the guests of the screening event on the evening of September 2, there is a special person, she is the last survivor of the "Lisbon Maru" - the daughter of centenarian Dennis Morley, Winnie. Pooh brought a recent letter to her from President Xi Jinping that night. It turned out that Winnie had sent a letter to President Xi Jinping a few days ago, expressing his gratitude for the kindness of China's rescue and firm support for the friendship between the Chinese and British peoples from generation to generation. President Xi Jinping replied to Vinnie, encouraging him to continue his active commitment to China-UK friendship and expecting more British friends to contribute to China-UK relations. President Xi Jinping also emphasized that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level between China and the UK. Over the past half century, it is thanks to the hard work of countless friendly people from the two countries that China-UK relations can continue to advance.

Dennis Morley (second from left), daughter Pooh (first from right) and family members

Ms. Vinny (left) showing the reply letter from President Xi Jinping

Pooh and "The Asia Pacific War Trial" began 3 years ago. In 2019, the film crew of the Shanghai Radio and Television Documentary Center went to the UK to conduct research and data collection, filming and recording the "Lisbon Maru" rescue incident that President Xi Jinping talked about during his visit to the UK in 2015, and rescued the "Lisbon Maru" ship. The last survivor - centenarian Dennis Morley. Mr. Morley tells the thrilling story of how he escaped death with the help of Chinese Zhoushan fishermen.

At the London screening of "Asia Pacific War Trial", Pooh shared with the audience the experience of participating in the filming of "Asia Pacific War Trial". The documentary recorded the last images of her father, Dennis Morley, during his lifetime. She still remembers his father's eloquence in front of the camera. She recounted her experience on the ship of hell, and said with tears in her eyes: "It was the appearance of the Chinese fishermen that changed everything." Ms. Vinny is very grateful to the documentary team in Shanghai, China for being able to pay attention to what happened to the soldiers of World War II, because they should not be Forget, history should not be forgotten. Pooh is looking forward to visiting China in the near future to meet the descendants of Zhoushan fishermen who participated in the rescue operation in those years, and jointly pursue this historical story of friendship between the Chinese and British people.

This screening event is hosted by Shanghai Radio and Television Documentary Center, with special support from the "Chinese Culture Going Global" project of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, and the chief strategic partner of IP Shanghai. During the event, Yu Guo, the first secretary of the Cultural Office of the Chinese Embassy in the UK, and Wang Lijun, the director of the Shanghai Radio and Television Documentary Center, on behalf of the film's producer, sent a video speech to the screening site. Wang Lijun said in the video speech: "The documentary "" The Asia-Pacific War Trial reflects that as allies in World War II, China and the United Kingdom fought together in the war, highlighting the important role and national friendship played by the two countries in World War II. After watching the film, Mr. Jordan, the descendant of the incident in the film, Mr. Fei Enqi, who has long been devoted to collecting and sorting out the information on the "Lisbon Maru" incident, and Professor Gu Ruopeng, director of the Center for East Asian Studies at Cambridge University, UK The well-known history has been deeply discussed, so that more British friends can understand the friendship forged in this war, which has aroused strong resonance.

Wang Lijun, Director of Shanghai Radio and Television Documentary Center, delivered a speech

The eight-episode documentary series "The Asia-Pacific War Trial" is the world's first panoramic focus on the trial of Japanese BC (B and C) class war criminals by allied countries after World War II. history of crime. This series of documentaries is based on the Tokyo Trial Research Center of Shanghai Jiaotong University, and Shanghai Jiaotong University Press as the cooperative unit. Focusing on the latest research results at home and abroad, this series of documentaries excavates exclusive and rare historical images, documents and evidence. The interview revealed this little-known historical event to the world for the first time.

"Asia Pacific War Trial" tells history from a peaceful and rational international perspective, while looking at the present, it aims to call on mankind to cherish peace and join hands with the world to move towards the future.

During the entire filming and production process, the film crew traveled across 4 continents and 13 countries and regions for on-site shooting, traveling nearly 90,000 kilometers, and excavated a large amount of precious historical audio-visual materials in 29 world-class archives, most of which are the first time Meet the world. The program interviewed nearly 50 international experts and scholars, as well as more than 40 witnesses and descendants of historical events, including rescue interviews with many centenarians. History is real.

With its international narrative perspective and presentation, "Asia-Pacific War Trial" has successively won the Gold Award in the History Category of the TV Series at the 42nd American Terry Awards, the Best Documentary Series at the 26th Asian Television Festival, and the 2020 Domestic Documentary and Creation of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television of China. Talent support project "Excellent Series", "Excellent International Communication" and "Excellent Director" three awards, as well as the 30th Shanghai News Award International Communication First Prize and other important documentary awards at home and abroad.

It is understood that the English version of the eight-episode documentary series "The Asia Pacific War Trial" will be broadcast on CCTV CGTN on September 4. The Shanghai Radio and Television Documentary Center will also continue to follow up on the situation of the descendants of the relevant witnesses, and continue to make records and publicity reports.