Stilwell Road Retraced: Commemorating the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Stilwell Road

Today (Sept. 4) marks the start of a special five-day journey retracing the Stilwell Road – a vital lifeline that once connected Chinese and American allies against Japan in the Second World War. Members of US General Joseph Stilwell's family, together with Chinese and American experts, have returned to the Stilwell Museum in Chongqing. The commemoration honors the history of wartime cooperation and continues to strengthen the enduring friendship between the people of China and the United States. Wu Yunliu has more.

WU YUNLIU CGTN "Eighty-three years ago, this place in Chongqing was the wartime residence of US General Joseph Stilwell, who played a crucial role in the China–US alliance against Japanese aggression. Today, his family has returned to honor his legacy and continue the friendship he forged."

This year marks the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, a milestone that honors the sacrifices and alliances forged in those years.

It's also 80 years since the opening of the Stilwell Road, a crucial wartime lifeline connecting China to the world.

At the Chongqing Stilwell Museum, family members and guests witnessed the unveiling of General Stilwell's statue, the donation of historical archives, and the launch of new publications, all celebrating the gift of friendship and cooperation that continues to this day.

SUSAN MAI EASTERBROOK COLE Descendant of General Joseph Stilwell "We absolutely enjoyed planting the tree when we were here two years ago. Seeds of friendship that my great-grandfather planted with the Chinese people so many years ago, almost a hundred years ago, and it was truly an honor for us to be able to continue that legacy. Well, my sister and I brought our kids: her three kids and my two kids here two years ago, and four of them were able to come back this year. And really, it's an opportunity for us to show them the love that the Chinese people have for our great-grandfather, their great-great-grandfather, and to hopefully plant more seeds of friendship with them and more people in China."

The founder and CEO of the Stilwell Academy says the Stilwell Road represents wartime cooperation and the enduring friendship between the Chinese and American people.

MANUEL DUME Founder & CEO of the Stilwell Academy "I think everything that we can do to promote people-to-people exchanges between China and the United States is totally something positive. And what more of a positive time in our history than the CBI, the China-Burma-India Theater of the war back then? And that was a time in our history where China and the United States were together."

Members of the Stilwell family will set out from Chongqing to retrace the historic road. Their journey not only commemorates history, it celebrates the spirit of cooperation and the precious friendship between China and the United States. More than a journey through history, it is a journey that carries forward a friendship across generations.

Wu Yunliu, CGTN, Chongqing.