An international friendship exhibition featuring more than 100 cultural artifacts and commemorative items from over 30 countries and regions opened at the Zhoushan Museum in East China's Zhejiang province on May 19.

The exhibition showcases Zhoushan's international engagement and sister-city cooperation through gifts, artworks, handicrafts, and historical materials collected over the years. A special section is dedicated to the Lisbon Maru rescue incident, featuring historical records and materials that document exchanges between Chinese and British descendants connected to the event.

Representatives of the descendants of British soldiers and descendants of Dongji Island fishermen involved in the wartime rescue attended the opening ceremony, alongside local officials and guests from foreign affairs organizations.

During the ceremony, Chinese and British representatives exchanged paintings and books related to the Lisbon Maru incident. The Chinese side presented a fishermen's painting depicting the rescue and an oral history publication documenting the event, while the British side donated a sketch portraying the sinking of the Lisbon Maru and a historical book about the incident.

Zhoushan, an important coastal hub in eastern China, has long served as a center for international maritime exchange. In recent years, the city has expanded cooperation in cultural programs, trade, and people-to-people communication while advancing its development as a modern marine city. To date, Zhoushan has established 22 sister-city relationships across 15 countries.