Nine descendants of U.S. General Joseph Stilwell arrived in Tengchong, Yunnan Province, on Friday to honor the wartime legacy of Sino-American cooperation along the China-Burma-India front.
Their journey pays tribute to a shared history of courage and friendship that continues to resonate across generations and borders.
The Stilwell family began their visit at the National Martyrs Cemetery in Tengchong, a city near the Myanmar border. There, they laid flowers at General Stilwell’s statue and at the memorial for fallen Allied and Chinese Expeditionary Force soldiers, commemorating those who fought side by side more than 80 years ago.
For Nancy Millward, Stilwell’s great-granddaughter, the visit carries deep personal meaning. She first came to Tengchong 16 years ago with her father, who helped identify 19 Allied soldiers killed in battle. This time, she returned with her own children, continuing both a family tradition and the enduring bond between China and the United States.
"Understanding what General Stilwell did during the war was very important as I was growing up, but actually being here and seeing where he was physically makes it very different. I think it's much more emotional. And I think it's important for our children to learn about their family legacy, but in a broader context, the legacy that General Stilwell has left and the relationships that he built with the Chinese people during the war and before the war," said Millward.
At the Western Yunnan Anti-Japanese War Memorial Hall, the family carefully examined wartime archives and photographs, reflecting on how General Stilwell worked alongside Chinese forces. Between 1943 and 1944, Stilwell, together with his son and two sons-in-law, participated in the campaign along the China-Burma-India front, sharing the hardships of the battlefield with the Chinese Expeditionary Force. Some family members even recognized familiar faces in the historical records.
"That was my grandfather. We know a lot of his stories, passing down to my father, and pass to us," said Millward.
The family also toured historic sites along the Stilwell Road, including the old Houqiao and Wanding Bridge, which once served as crucial supply routes during the war. As they walked these paths, they could sense the endurance and determination of their ancestor's generation.
"It's nice to really connect and see what my great grand-father would have seen. The difficulties faced the engineers and the crew and the soldiers fighting through jungles. General Stillwell was able to bring everybody together and accomplish one mission, so it's just an inspiring story that I think we can learn from today as we interact with people from different countries," said Dennis Cox, great-grandson of Stilwell.
Eighty years ago, General Stilwell and countless Chinese and American soldiers stood shoulder to shoulder against fascism. Today, his legacy continues to resonate across generations in China.
Descendants of US General Stilwell retrace wartime footsteps in China to honor WWII legacy
The China Media Group (CMG)'s 2026 Spring Festival Gala has wowed audience in China's Taiwan region with its integration of technological innovation and traditional culture, evoking strong emotional resonance.
While Chinese people around the world are celebrating the Spring Festival, the most important annual holiday which marks the start of the Chinese New Year, a cherished occasion which symbolizes family reunions and a time for renewal and new beginnings, watching the Spring Festival Gala, also known as "Chunwan", has been a cherished part of the celebrations every year in hundreds of millions of Chinese homes, with this year's edition livestreamed on Monday.
This year's Gala has not only captivated audiences on the mainland, but also garnered substantial attention from residents and media outlets in Taiwan, especially the highly-energetic humanoid robots performances.
During the Gala, a group of humanoid robots delivered an impressive martial arts display with precise movements and seamless coordination. Showcasing a unique blend of traditional martial arts and modern technology, the program left the audiences in awe.
Watching the Spring Festival Gala has long been a "New Year's tradition" for most families on the mainland, and now it is becoming increasingly popular for people across the Taiwan Strait as well.
In Taipei, Liu and Lin's family gathered together after their reunion dinner to watch the Gala through the internet. They were particularly impressed by the robot martial arts performance, which included a series of choreographed stunts and synchronized moves, including the "drunken fist" and dynamic nunchuck routines and consecutive backflips.
"I never imagined that I would see robots doing backflips and performing martial arts on the Spring Festival Gala. I was truly surprised. The revolutionary progress in robotics and technology is absolutely amazing," said Lin.
"There were some rather unique parts, especially the robot backflips, which were quite stunning. If certain details weren't executed perfectly, it would be impossible for the robots to perform such human-like movements. That's truly remarkable. This integration into the Spring Festival was incredibly impressive and unforgettable," said Liu.
A creative floral-themed song known as "He Huashen" or "Ode to the Flower Deities", has emerged as one of the works resonating the most with audiences across the island.
Lin said that this song was not only a visual feast but also a technological rebirth of traditional culture.
"I personally really love the 'He Huashen' segment, because I think it intertwines ancient poetry with virtual reality technology, presenting traditional art in contemporary context. It’s an immersive aesthetic experience of thousand-year-old poetry, making viewers feel as if they are stepping back to the grandeur of ancient Chinese literature. It's truly amazing," said Lin.
For many Taiwan residents, the most emotionally resonant part of the Gala would be the performance of a lineup of iconic Taiwan songs sang by eight well-known artists from the island.
"There's truly an unbreakable and inseparable cultural bond between the two sides of the Strait. Taiwan's singers of different generations were performing iconic Taiwan songs [at the Gala]. No matter where we are in the world, we, as Chinese people, should always keep a Chinese heart and remember that we are Chinese. Let's celebrate the Chinese New Year together and realized the Chinese dream with our joint endeavors," said Wang Bingzhong, a current affairs commentator in Taiwan.
CMG 2026 Spring Festival Gala wows Taiwan audience with blends of techs, traditional culture
