Honouring of wounded PLA mine sweeper triggers poignant memories for Sino-Vietnamese war veterans
- Du Fuguo lost his arms and eyes to an explosion during mine clearance operations along the China-Vietnam border
- Nearly 40 PLA soldiers have been hurt since 2014 clearing mines in China’s southwest Yunnan province
For Sino-Vietnamese war veterans who dodged landmines decades ago, the honouring of a former PLA mine sweeper who lost his arms and eyes to an explosion during mine clearance operations along the China-Vietnam border was a poignant occasion.
Du Fuguo, 27, was removing camouflage from a hand grenade he had detected among a cluster of landmines in the vicinity of the conflict in October, when it detonated, costing him his eyes and hands.
The incident made Du – who was awarded a first-class honour by the People’s Liberation Army in November – one of the nearly 40 soldiers who have been hurt since 2014 in mine-clearing operations in southwest China’s Yunnan province.
Border war with Vietnam a lingering wound for China’s forgotten soldiers
On Monday, Du was furthered recognised in a television programme, Touching China, broadcast on CCTV, which paid tribute to the extraordinary bravery and achievements of Chinese people. He was joined on the show by his wife and father, and watched by a live audience of 1,000.
Among those viewing was another veteran of the 1979 border war between China and Vietnam, Guo Jixue.
“From the bottom of my heart, I really want to thank [Du] for his braveness,” the 55-year-old said.
“But his misfortune also reminded me that thousands of my comrades who were wounded in the war are struggling to live now and they have been denied their retirement benefits.”
