In the shadow of the Vietnam War's chaos, a hidden chapter of cross-border solidarity unfolded in the Chinese mainland. The Nanxishan Hospital, a top-secret medical facility built in 1968, operated under a veil of silence for eight years—its existence kept off maps, newspapers, and official records to protect its patients.
Imagine a real-life 'M*A*S*H' unit, but with one twist: every bed was reserved for 5,432 Vietnamese soldiers and civilians injured in the conflict. Doctors worked tirelessly under Beijing’s discreet support, cementing what Vietnamese historians now call 'a lifeline wrapped in friendship.'
Why the secrecy? Public knowledge could’ve drawn military targeting or political backlash. Yet today, declassified documents reveal how this humanitarian mission became a quiet triumph of Sino-Vietnamese cooperation—long before TikTok diplomacy!
Reference(s):
cgtn.com