Dear Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen:

First of all, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, the Embassy of China to India, Dr. B.R.Deepak from Jawaharlal Nehru University and all the people and organizations concerned, for your tremendous contribution to the translation and publication of My Life with Kotnis in India.

I will never forget the sympathy and support extended by the Indian people to the Chinese people during the tough years of War Against Japanese Aggression. When the Japanese imperialists invaded China, the Indian National Congress Party and Indian people sent a medical team to China in September 1938, although they themselves were also facing hardships in fighting against the colonial rule. Five brilliant sons of the Indian people, Dr. Monanlal Atal, Dr. M.R. Cholkar, Dr. Deben Mukerjee, Dr. Bijoy Kumar Basu and Dr. Dwarkanath Kotnis bid farewell to their beloved ones, set off from Mumbai, crossed the vast oceans, and finally arrived in China in the flames of war to assist the Chinese people. At the risk of their lives, they left Chongqing, then temporary capital of China, broke through the blocks laid down by the ruling party Konming Tang and set on a long difficult journey to Yan'an where the center committee of Chinese Communist Party was located. Among them, Dr. Kotnis and Dr. Basu reached the frontline to provide medical assistance and established a model hospital in the battlefield. They made a great contribution to China's War against Japanese Aggression. Doctor Kotnis even sacrificed his young life to Chinese people's cause of justice. The internationalism and the dedication of the Indian doctors greatly encouraged the Chinese people. Now, 67 years passed, the five medical team members have all left us. However, Chinese people have always been missing them and feeling grateful for the their precious help in times of our difficulties.

Dear friends,

Both China and India are great nations with ancient civilizations. The Yangtze River and the Ganga have witnessed the long-standing friendship between our two countries. We are neighbors that face the common task of maintaining world peace and promoting development. It's China's sincere hope to go on developing good neighborly relationship with India, which not only conforms to the common desire shared by our peoples but also is conducive to the peace and stability of Asia and the world.

I wish to join hands with Indian friends and friendly organizations, carry forward the spirit of the predecessors, and devote further efforts to maintaining and developing the traditional friendship between the Chinese and the Indian people.

I deeply believe that China-India friendship will successively brave the wind and waves and sail into a new era!

Thank you all.

Guo Qinglan

August 8, 2006

Dalian, China