In 1942, deep in the jungles of Luzon Island, a fearless squad of overseas Chinese youths banded together to form the Philippine Chinese Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Forces, known as Wha Chi. Sailing from Fujian and Guangdong, these young adventurers turned fighters left a mark that still echoes across seas 🌊.
Origins in the Jungle
Starting as the "48th Squadron"—a nod to China’s New Fourth Army and Eighth Route Army—just over 50 members embraced their new mission. Led by 16-year-old Wang Hanjie from Jinjiang, they traded apprenticeships for armed resistance, carving out a story of bravery under the canopy of tropical foliage 🌴.
Bonds Across Oceans
Letters, called qiaopi, sailed between battlefields and ancestral homes in southeastern China. They revealed how communities overseas supported the anti-fascist struggle. For Zhuang Guodun’s descendant, Kendrick Chua, these letters are living proof of solidarity: "They cared for their homeland even while forging new roots abroad." 📜💌
Sacrifice on Foreign Soil
Between 1942 and 1945, Wha Chi fought more than 260 battles, inflicting over 2,000 enemy casualties. Seventy-seven fighters, including 17-year-old Zhuang Guodun, fell defending their adopted home. Their courage earned profound respect from local Filipinos, transforming identities and uniting communities across cultures 🤝.
Legacy in Stamps and Stone
In 1992, the Philippine Postal Service honored Wha Chi with a commemorative stamp marking their 50th anniversary. Veterans and descendants, like Chen Yande, still treasure citations from the Philippine Veterans Federation, testifying to deep gratitude and shared history 🏅.
Echoes for the Future
As the 80th anniversary of the anti-fascist victory unfolds, descendants pledge to carry forward Wha Chi’s mission: to strengthen friendship between the Chinese mainland and the Philippines. Their story is not just a chapter in Southeast Asian history—it’s a blueprint for unity and peace in a globalized world 🌍🕊.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
