Remarks by Mr Qin Liang,

Deputy Director of

Shanghai Administrative Committee for the Historical Relics of

Sun Yat-Sen & Song Qingling

at the Commemoration of the 70^th Anniversary of the visit of

George Bernard Shaw

 to Shanghai

23 April 2003

Sun Yat Sen Former Residence

 

 

 

Ladies and gentlemen,

 

Today we are here to commemorate the 70^th anniversary of the visit to Shanghai of George Bernard Shaw.

 

First, I would like to, on behalf of the Chinese side, welcome you all to today’s commemoration and express our greatest pleasure of having the presence of Shanghai municipal leaders, Consul General of Ireland and representatives from other Consulates General in Shanghai. I would also like to extend our congratulations to the cultural representatives from Ireland and China for the historical meeting today.

 

Great Irish writer, playwright and winner of the Nobel Prize for literature, George Bernard Shaw is famous for his great contribution to the world literature. He visited Shanghai on February 17^th, 1933 to sympathize with the Chinese nation fighting for democracy and national independence.

 

Madam Song Qingling, widow of Sun Yat-Sen received Bernard Shaw at 29 Rue Moliere, currently Sun Yat-Sen’s Former Residence. Both of them were honorary chairpersons of the World Committee against Imperialist War at that time. Shaw had called Madam Song in advance to say he had no desire to go ashore in Shanghai unless he could meet her in person. Therefore, their meeting becomes the core activity of the historical visit.

 

On the cruise ship and at Madam Song’s house, they talked as close friends on such topics as the Chinese people’s resistance against Japanese invasion, the Nanjing Government, the United Front, Lloyd George, Stalin, women’s issues, literature, the press and so on. They also took photos in the garden, thus leaving a historical record of this friendly exchange between China and Ireland.

 

Present at the lunch hosted by Madam Song were also main leaders from the China Civil Rights League and cultural representatives like Cai Yuanpei, Yang Xingfo, Lu Xun and Lin Yutan. Shaw sat in the seat of honour at a round table learning how to use the chopsticks and remarking affectionately that friends are best because you can always keep in touch with them.

 

For both China and Ireland, today’s commemoration is another way of keeping in touch with each other. We wish that cultural exchanges between our two countries will promote the friendly association of our two peoples in a broader range of areas. Last but not least, I wish the commemoration every success.

 

Thank you.