China honours late Dr BK Basu with commemorative medal for aiding China during Second Sino-Japanese war

Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong, in a post on X, announced the honour bestowed upon an Indian physician who was part of the Indian Medical Mission led by Dwarakanath Shantaram Kotnis.

"A great pleasure to, on behalf of the Chinese government, present the "80th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression" commemorative medals to the late Dr. Basu of the Indian Medical Mission that aided Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. The medal was received on his behalf by Dr. Singh, his medical heir." Xu Feihong said.

The Chinese Ambassador stated that China will always remember the contributions of Kotnis, Dr. Basu, and other fellow Indian medical volunteers, adding that China will never forget the people who stood with them.

"The Chinese people will always remember the contributions of Dr. Kotnis, Dr. Basu, and their fellow Indian medical volunteers. We shall never forget these old friends of the Chinese people who stood with us in our darkest times."

"The victory of the World Anti-Fascist War was hard-won. Today, it is more imperative than ever for us to join hands in defending justice and preserving peace. We must resolutely oppose unilateralism and hegemonism, uphold the UN-centered international system and the international order based on international law, and steadfastly practice true multilateralism," he added.

Dr Bjoy Kumar Basu was part of the Indian Medical Mission that was dispatched to China to provide medical assistance in the Second Sino-Japanese War in the 1930s and 1940s.

According to Xinhua News, Basu, a colleague of Dr. Dwarkanath Kotnis stayed in China for nearly five years during 1938-1943 as an IMM member.

In 1958-59, Basu spent six months in China learning acupuncture before introducing the needle techniques to India. (ANI)