In the frame of the traditional Chinese holiday “Qingming”, a day when the Chinese honor those who no longer live by visiting their graves, the Chinese Ambassador to Tirana, Zhou Ding, along with other diplomats went to the Sharra cemetery to honor the Chinese specialists who fell on duty in Albania in the ‘70s of the last century. Also present at this commemorative ceremony were the Deputy General Director of Albanian Radio and Television (RTV), Martin Leka, the President of the Albania-China Friendship Association, Spartak Nano, the President of the Alb-China Cultural Association, Iljaz Spahiu, as well as representatives of Chinese enterprises in Albania. Participants laid bouquets of flowers, observed a minute of silence, and bowed reverently in front of the graves of Chinese specialists.
Ambassador Zhou Ding noted that Qingming is a day when the Chinese honor their ancestors and express their grief. In the history of relations between China and Albania, he continued, those who made extraordinary contributions deserve to be respected and remembered forever. “In the ’60s and’ 70s of the last century, the Chinese government helped build more than 100 works in Albania for the realization of which nearly 6,000 specialists came making an unforgettable contribution to promoting the economic development of Albania. and the deepening of Sino-Albanian friendship. Among them, Zhang Baoyu, Li Dexiong, Peng Guiwen, Ou Xingtai and Song Shuhai gave their lives on this earth, building a monument of friendship between China and Albania. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the death of martyr Zhang Baoyu. We came here, Albanian friends, to pay homage to these martyrs with Mr. Zhang Baoyu as representative. I hope that, through this ceremony, we will remember the history of the fallen and inherit their spirit of commitment to the ideal, giving energy to the development of Sino-Albanian relations,” said the Ambassador in his remarks at the ceremony.
He also expressed deep condolences for the death of the chairman of the Albania-China Friendship Group in the Albanian Parliament, former Prime Minister Bashkim Fino. Recalling some precious moments with the late Fino and highly appreciating the contribution of this prominent politician for strengthening the traditional friendship between the two countries, Ambassador Zhou stressed that “we will remember Zhang Baoyu, Mr. Fino and those who have contributed to the Sino-Albanian friendship, and we will be encouraged by them to jointly write a new page of friendly cooperation between China and Albania.”
The RTV’s Deputy General Director Leka praised the contributions of Chinese specialists for the development and construction of Albania. Noting that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the fall of the hero Zhang Baoyu on the line of duty,
Mr. Leka said that this fact is an important indicator of friendship between the two peoples and will always remain in the hearts of them as a spiritual force that adds to this friendship. He wished that the traditional Albanian-Chinese friendship would live long. /argumentum.al
