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Descendants of Chinese war veterans to march in Aust'n Anzac Day parade

Xinhua, April 11, 2016 Adjust font size:

More than 30 relatives of Chinese soldiers who fought the Japanese in World War II (WWI) will march in Melbourne this year as part of Australia's Anzac Day celebrations on April 25.

The group, from the Melbourne's Association of Descendants of Chinese World War II Veterans, is aiming to enlighten Australians about the Sino-Japanese war on Australia's most sombre day of remembrance.

"We were part of the Second World War, so we'd like to raise our voice," Ruth Zhai, the granddaughter of Chinese war hero Lu Yuting, told Fairfax Media on Monday. "We want to get our message across."

One of the leaders of the association, Qifang Wang, said she was "bothered" that Australia seemingly ignored its shared history, with both nations forced to take up arms to defend against a Japanese invasion in WWII.

Anzac Day marks the anniversary of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzac) landing on the shores of Gallipoli, Turkey in 1915. Although Anzac Day was originally created in remembrance of Australia's most devastating military expedition in history, the national event has expanded to commemorate Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in all wars and conflicts.

Gallipoli was Australia's first major military battle after it became a sovereign country in 1901.

Of the 60,000 Australians who fought in the fruitless eight-month campaign, around 26,000 were wounded and 7,594 were killed.

In the lead-up to last year's Anzac Day centenary, Australian historian and curator of Melbourne's Chinese Museum, Emily Cheah Ah-Qune, went through the records books and discovered that 218 Australian-born Chinese served for the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in WWI.

However, hundreds of other Chinese immigrants who tried to enlist were turned away from national service due to Australia's racial prejudice to non-European settlers at the time, under the White Australia Policy.

As part of the nation-wide Anzac Day celebrations, former soldiers and their relatives are invited to show off their military medals in a march before the general public.

In the past decade, Australia's Returned Service League (RSL) has relaxed its march eligibility by-laws, allowing new Australians from different backgrounds to pay their respects as well.

Last year, the Sydney chapter of the Association of Descendants of Chinese World War II Veterans successfully marched in the New South Wales capital. Endit