Donald Trump says Marines adopted Chinese phrase "gung ho" after encounter with Chinese people
“it was the United States Marines' encounter with Chinese people that inspired the Marines to adopt a Chinese phrase they still use today, 'gung ho.'”
Reported September 26, 2026 by en.people.cn. Checked word for word against that report.
On Thursday at the White House, President Donald Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping, and both men recalled the U.S.-China wartime alliance against Japan. Trump honored American volunteer pilots who helped China, then noted the Marine Corps’ lasting use of a Chinese slogan, which he said conveys enthusiasm and a cooperative spirit. Xi recounted the mountain supply line across the Himalayas and Chinese sacrifices that saved hundreds of U.S. fliers. The slogan’s roots lie in a late-1930s Chinese cooperative campaign supporting the war effort. The meeting came two days after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met Trump in New York. The leaders framed the wartime bond as a foundation for continued cooperation.
- en.people.cn ↗︎26 SEP 2026