Tribute to Chinese buried in Malta

To mark Ancestors Grave Sweeping Day, the equivalent of All Souls Day, Chinese Ambassador Chai Xi visited the tomb of Xu Huizhong, a lathe worker who died in l978 when the Red China Dock was under construction.

Mr Chai was accompanied by his wife Zhang Rufen and embassy staff.

Two weeks ago a decorator was assigned by the Commercial Division of the Chinese Embassy to restore the graves of a number of Chinese buried at the Addolorata Cemetery. The tombs were swept and cleaned and flower wreaths placed on them.

In l978, then Prime Minster Dom Mintoff assigned Reno Calleja, a Labour MP, to visit China and present the Medal of the Republic to Mr Xu's widow who has since died. The dead Chinese worker is survived by his son and granddaughter whom Mr Calleja met in Shanghai last year.