00:00At Liverpool's Blue Coat Gallery, diplomats, historians and relatives of veterans gathered
00:05the echoes of peace, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
00:10Today, eight decades later, we look back on those years of fire and sacrifice,
00:16not only to honour historical truth, but also to draw wisdom and strength from them.
00:22The event highlighted China's often overlooked contribution to the Allied effort,
00:27including stories of resistance, sacrifice and international cooperation.
00:33I think it's very accurate that China has been forgotten.
00:37There are many stories that need to be told, and I think as a historian, I have a job to do, to inspire more research.
00:47There was also a focus on the forgotten story of the Lisbon Maru,
00:51a Japanese transport ship carrying British prisoners of war when it sank in 1942.
00:56Survivors owed their lives to local Chinese fishermen.
01:00I think the biggest story about the Lisbon Maru is that it encompasses both the worst of war and also the best of war.
01:07The worst being what our poor prisoners of war went through,
01:11and then also the humanity of the Chinese who came and saved them at their own risk of their own lives.
01:16Attendees also reflected on post-war challenges, such as the treatment of Chinese sailors
01:21who served in the British Merchant Navy in Liverpool, who were forcefully repatriated after the war,
01:27a story told in CGTN's documentary, The Secret Betrayal.
01:31Those sailors risked their lives to bring food into the Bay of Liverpool to feed us while we were fighting the Germans.
01:43How was the repay? He was repaid by the repatriated.
01:48So what?
01:49They had families here.
01:51It is an injustice.
01:52I was shocked by what has happened with respect to the seamen from Liverpool.
01:58I just didn't know anything about that.
02:00I think it must be devastating to think you've been abandoned by your father.
02:06I personally will do whatever I can to help them resolve some of that in whatever ways we can.
02:12The programme looked ahead, with former world leaders discussing whether today's international order
02:18can withstand new geopolitical tensions.
02:20This dialogue with these meetings, the diplomacy can help to better understand
02:29and to take the responsibility together for the future.
02:36Organisers say the hope is not only to remember past struggles,
02:40but to strengthen understanding between China and the wider world in today's turbulent times.
02:46Perhaps by looking back, we can all move forwards together.
02:50Ray Addison, CGTN, Liverpool.
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