A tomb has been built in China to commemorate a Romanian doctor who came to the country during the World War II and treated wounded soldiers.
The tomb lies in the Mausoleum of Soong Ching-ling in Shanghai. A ceremony was held Friday to mark the 104th birth anniversary of the Communist doctor Bucur Clejan, and his contribution to the Chinese people in wartime.
"The Chinese people will never forget the outstanding contributions of Mr. Clejan to the cause of Chinese liberation," said Chen Haosu, president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.
"We hope to further strengthen the traditional friendship between the peoples of China and Romania," he said.
Clejan was born on Dec. 26, 1904 in Bucharest. He joined the Communist Party of Romania in 1932. He came to China in 1939 to help the Chinese in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. His wife also came to China to join him in 1941, but she was infected with typhoid while treating wounded soldiers and died in 1944.
Clejan stayed in China after the war was over in 1945 and worked for a United Nations relief agency in central Henan Province. He met a Chinese nurse Zhao Jingpu there who later became his wife. During the period of Chinese civil war, he overcame difficulties to send medical supplies to the liberated areas led by the Communist Party of China.
In 1948, Clejan returned to his country with his wife. He died on Jan. 15, 1975.
Zhao came back to China in 1986 and settled down in Shanghai. She brought back Clejan's cremains as he wished.
"He treated China as his second home," said 88-year-old Zhao at Friday's ceremony.
"He devoted himself to the international communist cause. He is a good husband and I am willing to marry him in my next life," she said.
Chinese President Hu Jintao spoke highly of Clejan during a visit to Romania in June 2004.
"He and other Romanian doctors risked their lives to help the Chinese people to resist Japanese aggressors and made invaluable contributions to victory," he said.
(Xinhua News Agency December 26, 2008)