China welcomes return of CPV soldiers' remains for 10 consecutive years

SHENYANG - The remains of 25 Chinese People's Volunteers soldiers killed in the 1950-1953 Korean War were returned to China on Thursday from the Republic of Korea.

Since 2014, China and the ROK have completed 10 such repatriations in a row, thanks to a handover agreement signed between the two countries.

At around 11:30 am, a Y-20 military transport aircraft carrying the remains and belongings of the fallen soldiers landed at the Taoxian International Airport in Shenyang, capital of Northeast China's Liaoning province.

Shortly after the plane was welcomed with a water cannon salute, soldiers carrying the caskets of the fallen heroes slowly walked off the plane and a reception ceremony was held at the airport.

Following the placement of the caskets, which were covered by five-star red flags, representatives at the ceremony stood in solemn silence and bowed three times to the soldiers' remains.

The remains of 913 CPV martyrs were returned to China from the ROK between 2014 and 2022.

"It is due to their selfless dedication, fearlessness and sacrifice that we now have the peaceful and stable life we enjoy. It makes me understand even more the value of peace," said Qiu Yutong, a middle school student from Shenyang.

The Korean War broke out in June 1950, eight months after the People's Republic of China was founded. The flames of war soon reached the border river of Yalu and wreaked havoc in Dandong, then known as Andong, with buildings bombed and civilians killed.

At the request of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Chinese ground forces under the CPV entered the Korean Peninsula on Oct 19, 1950, and fought the first battle on Oct 25.

A total of 2.9 million CPV soldiers from across the country joined the war that lasted almost three years, with more than 360,000 soldiers killed or injured.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of China's victory in the war.

On the way to the cemetery, the motorcade carrying the remains of the CPV martyrs drove past many residents who packed the street to take part in the solemn procession.

The CPV martyrs' remains will be buried at a cemetery in Shenyang, where a burial ceremony will be held on Friday.

"The martyrs dedicated everything to the motherland and the people. They deserve to be remembered," said Li Qingze, an interpreter who works at the cemetery.