On 15 August 2025, Chinese Ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang attended and addressed the reception for the European premiere of the film Dongji Rescue. Also attending the reception were Major (Retd) Brian Finch, who has long been dedicated to collecting materials on the Lisbon Maru incident, Mrs Denise Wynne, daughter of Lisbon Maru survivor Dennis Morley, Mr Anthony Jones, Chairman of the Lisbon Maru Memorial Association, and other family representatives of British POWs on the ship, as well as the creative team of Dongji Rescue, including producer Ms Liang Jing. Ms Liang Jing, Major (Retd) Brian Finch and Mr Anthony Jones also delivered remarks. The premiere attracted a full house of 790 people from across various sectors in the UK.
The full text of the Ambassador’s address is as follows:
Remembering History and Carrying Forward Friendship
Good evening!
Thank you, Cedric. Thanks to you and Trinity CineAsia for bringing Dongji Rescue to London.
Special thanks to Ms Liang Jing, Mr Fei Zhenxiang and the entire cast and crew for producing this magnificent film and coming all the way from China for the premiere in London.
It is my great pleasure to see Mrs Denise Wynne, Major Brian Finch and Mrs Gillian Finch, and Mr and Mrs Jones. Director Rupert Daniels and Chairman Jack Perry, how nice of you to come. And a warm welcome to the Lisbon Maru families. Thank you for being here with us.
Eighty years ago today, Japan was defeated and announced its unconditional surrender. The extreme atrocities and sufferings the Japanese imperialists inflicted upon the people in China and other Asian countries, and upon the people of the UK finally came to an end on that day.
At the darkest hour of the Second World War, China and the UK fought on different fronts but shared a common mission: to defend humanity against fascism and aggression. Fighting side by side, the peoples of our two countries forged a deep friendship.
One of the most moving examples of China-UK solidarity occurred in October 1942, when fishermen from China's Dongji Island braved Japanese gunfire to rescue 384 British POWs from the Lisbon Maru.
Dongji Rescue, premiering tonight, together with the documentary The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru which premiered earlier this year, brings to life the heroic act of those Dongji fishermen.
As we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, watching Dongji Rescue tonight holds special significance.
Eighty-three years have passed since the Lisbon Maru incident, and the world has changed, but we should cherish the memory and carry forward the friendship between the peoples of our two countries.
In this turbulent and fast-changing world, it is all the more important that China and the UK join hands to increase people-to-people exchanges and strengthen collaboration across various fields. We should work together to uphold the post-WWII international order, address global challenges, and make new contributions to world peace, stability and prosperity.
I am sure artistic works like Dongji Rescue will help deepen the mutual understanding and friendship between our two peoples and continue to inspire different sectors in both countries to work for the steady and sustained development of China-UK relations.
I wish the European premiere of Dongji Rescue a full success.
Thank you.
