刘建超大使纪念碑落成典礼致辞

Hon. Governor Teresita Lazaro,
Hon. Mayor Ariel Magcalas,
Mr. Chairman Ambeth Ocampo,
Mr. Col. Emmanuel Ocampo,
Mr. Aquino Lee,
Distinguished guests,
Dear friends,
尊敬的罗沙洛省长，
尊敬的麦卡拉示市长，
菲律宾国立历史学院院长安贝斯·沃堪伯先生，
埃马纽埃尔·沃堪伯上校，
李康希先生，
尊敬的来宾，
各位朋友，

Sixty-six years ago, our heroes of the Philippine Chinese Anti-Japanese Guerilla Forces, more popularly known in the Philippines as Wha Chi or the 48th Squadron, serving as the main attack force, liberated Santa Cruz, the provincial capital of Laguna, in coordination with the Filipino guerillas and American troops. This fierce battle lasted 10 hours from 8 o’clock in the morning till 6 o’clock in the evening with more than 160 enemies killed and 2 Wha Chi guerillas and 4 allied troops sacrificed their lives.
60年前，菲律宾华侨抗日游击队的英雄们，也就是菲律宾广为人知的“华支”或第48支队，作为抗战的主要力量，与菲律宾游击队和美国部队一起解放了仙沓古律市——内湖省的首都。这场激烈的战斗从早晨8点持续到晚上6点历经10个小时，共歼灭敌军160余人，2位华支队员和4支盟军连队献出了生命。

Now we are engaged in a new endeavor after all these years in our humble gesture of the Inauguration of the Monument and Unveiling of the National Historical Institute Marker for the “Battle of Santa Cruz” in memory of those fallen heroes and brave soldiers. This, I believe, is the least we can do to pay tribute to the gallant men and women of Wha Chi who, at the risk of life and limb, braved the perils of combat to defend the Philippines.
多年之后的今天，我们只能谦卑地试图以仙沓古律市战役纪念碑的落成和国家历史学会颁发碑志揭幕的方式，来缅怀那些阵亡的英雄和勇敢的战士。我想这是我们所能做的微不足道的事来纪念这些华支的英雄儿女，是他们不顾受伤和牺牲，顶着战斗的危险保卫菲律宾的。

We, who enjoy the blessings of peace and harmony today, owe so much to these heroic fighters of Wha Chi who put their lives in harm’s way in Santa Cruz during World War II. It is altogether fitting and proper to say that the most important gesture of gratitude on our part is our devotion and dedication to the China-Philippines friendship course they have fought for and guarded with their lives.
我们享受了今天和平与和谐的幸福生活，而对这些在二战中将生死置之度外的华支英雄们，我们亏欠太多。我想我们最好的感恩方式应该就是继续捍卫英雄们用生命为之战斗和守护的中菲友谊。

Dear friends,
各位朋友，

In the war of resistance against Japanese aggression, more than 70 Wha Chi fighters made their supreme sacrifice. Many of them were in their early twenties. Some of them died on the battlefields, some died while being tortured by the enemy, but all died bravely with honor. Their moving story will be forever branded on the brains of us, our children and grandchildren. Those who survived the war, just as we see today these admirable Wha Chi veterans, are heroes in their own right. They were tempered by the hundreds of battles that they fought and the innumerable hardships they endured. I am sure that the splendid history of Wha Chi will go down in the river of times as treasure in the annals of the Chinese community in the Philippines as well as a brilliant chapter in the history of friendly relations and cooperation between China and the Philippines.
在抗击日本侵略战争中，70多位华支战士为国捐躯。他们中的许多人才20岁出头。他们有的死在了战场上，有的被敌人蹂躏致死，但全都死的英勇，死的光荣。他们的感人事迹将永远被我们以及子孙铭记。那些战争中的幸存者，就是我们今天所看到的这些可敬可佩的老兵，他们本身就是英雄。他们身经百战，历尽艰辛。我相信华支波澜壮阔的历史不仅将作为菲律宾华人社区历史的瑰宝而代代相传，，而且将作为中菲友好关系与合作历史的辉煌篇章。

Eternal glory to the Wha Chi heroes! Thank you.
华支英雄们永垂不朽！谢谢