In the jungles of Luzon Island in 1942, a small band of overseas Chinese youths launched a remarkable resistance movement against Japanese invaders. Calling themselves the Philippine Chinese Anti-Japanese Guerilla Forces – known by their Cantonese name "Wha Chi" – these fighters wrote a chapter of World War II that still resonates today.
From Southeast China to the Philippine Front
Most Wha Chi members hailed from Fujian and Guangdong provinces, seeking livelihoods overseas before war engulfed their new home. Among them was 16-year-old Wang Hanjie of Jinjiang, who sailed to the Philippines as a shop apprentice in 1933. By 1942, he rose to commander of the "48th Squadron" – a tribute to China's New Fourth Army and Eighth Route Army.
Fierce Battles and Lasting Sacrifice
Between 1942 and 1945, Wha Chi fought over 260 engagements, inflicting over 2,000 enemy casualties. Of the original fighters, 77 gave their lives – like 17-year-old Zhuang Guodun, who endured capture and torture rather than betray his comrades. Their courage not only defended their adopted land but also reshaped how local communities saw overseas Chinese.
Bridging Home and Battlefield
Letters, known as Qiaopi, carried news, hope, and remittances between guerrillas and families back in Quanzhou. Today, China's Qiaopi Museum curator Chen Ruobo explains these folk documents reveal how diaspora communities fueled the anti-fascist effort with both resources and spirit.
Legacy Carved in Stamps and Stone
In 1992, the Philippine Postal Service issued a stamp marking Wha Chi's 50th anniversary, inscribed with "48." Descendants like Chen Yande still hold certificates from the Philippine Veterans Federation honoring their forebears' sacrifice. Historian Teresita Ang See underscores that this shared struggle cements a common destiny between Filipinos and Chinese.
Echoes for Today
As the world marks the 80th anniversary of the anti-fascist victory, global citizens reflect on collective action. Victor Lee, president of the Wha Chi Veterans Descendants Association, vows to deepen ties between the Chinese mainland and the Philippines in tribute to past solidarity. Professor Augusto V. de Viana of the University of Santo Tomas adds that Wha Chi's story deserves a place in global World War II history.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
