With Help From Chinese Social Media, Indian Woman Finds Step-Sister

Beijing: An Indian woman found her long-lost half-sister from her father's first marriage whom she lost during the Japanese invasion of China after China Radio International (CRI) highlighted her story on its website on Monday.

Jennifer An, 62, and her husband spoke to CRI on Monday night in Beijing, trying to locate her elder sister, Roesai An, now 81 years old, who was then found today.

Jennifer's husband Balaji has said it was his father in-laws' wish to reunite with Roesai An.

"His last wish was to see his daughter, to get in touch with his daughter and meet up with his daughter, which he couldn't do. He couldn't fulfill his last wish. So that was also one reason when we got married, I said you see that was your father's last wish. Let me start. I will do it."

Roesai An was the only surviving family member of her father's first marriage, which was broken up by the Japanese invasion of China. The father, An Chi Pong, was a Chinese marine engineer. During the war, the ship he was on ran into trouble while on a port-of-call in Mumbai (then Bombay).

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As it was during the height of the war, An Chi Pong ended up settling in India, eventually moving to the city of Madras, now Chennai, and married a local.

An Chi Pong and his wife eventually had four children, including Jennifer.

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But due to the travel restrictions at the time, it was virtually impossible for An Chi Pong and his family to return back to China.