The remains of 43 Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) soldiers who fell in action during the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953) returned to China on Thursday morning from the Republic of Korea (ROK).
It is the 11th repatriation of CPV martyrs' remains since the signing of a handover agreement between China and the ROK.
The first batch of the remains of 437 CPV martyrs was transferred to China from Incheon, west of the capital Seoul of the ROK, on March 28, 2014.
Earlier Thursday, the People's Liberation Army Air Force dispatched two J-20 fighter jets to escort the Y-20 transport aircraft carrying the martyrs' remains after it entered China's territorial airspace.
After the landing of the aircraft, two fire trucks sprayed water along the way to form a water gate, the highest etiquette in the civil aviation industry.
The Y-20 transport aircraft slowly passed through, and the water salute symbolized a ceremonial welcome, signifying a "welcome and dust cleansing" gesture.
The burial ceremony for the remains of the CPV martyrs will be held at the Shenyang Cemetery for Martyrs of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea on Friday.
Since 2014, the remains of 981 CPV martyrs have been handed over to China, their home country
Almost 200,000 CPV soldiers were confirmed killed in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, with most interred on the Korean Peninsula.
Remains of 43 CPV martyrs return to China from ROK
A 93-year-old veteran of the Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) remains committed to attending the annual on-site ceremony to welcome the return of the remains of CPV martyrs from the Republic of Korea (ROK), paying his full tribute to the heroes who sacrificed their lives during the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea in the early 1950s.
Since China and the ROK signed a handover agreement in 2014 for the repatriation of CPV soldiers' remains, Li Weibo, the CPV veteran, has shown up at the site of welcome ceremony for martyrs every year, dressed in uniform and wearing his medals, to honor the departed comrades with his deepest respect.
"The first time I saw the news on TV, I immediately put on and straightened my uniform, then went to the site of the ceremony. I saluted to honor my comrades there," said Li.
In 1950, at the age of 19, Li graduated early from university and enlisted in the CPV as an anti-aircraft artilleryman. During the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953), the artillery regiment Li served in was responsible for securing the corridor between China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Over the course of the war, the regiment had shot down 15 enemy aircraft and damaged 17 others.
"At that time, we had very few anti-aircraft artillery soldiers, but we defeated a powerful enemy with outdated weapons. So the weak overcame the strong," said Li.
After the war, whenever he missed his fallen comrades, Li would visit the martyrs' cemetery to honor them and express his eternal remembrance.
Besides, over the past decade, he has attended the welcome ceremony every year to witness the return of his comrades' remains. He hopes that, even after their passing, they can see the growing strength and prosperity of their homeland in their own way.
"I saw our country using a large transport plane to bring back the martyrs' remains, escorted by two fighter jets. Now, our nation's aviation has grown stronger. I want them to come back and see how much our country has developed and prospered," said Li.
Despite being over 90 years old, Li said he will continue to be one of the welcoming group members to honor the return of the CPV martyrs, always standing straight and wearing his uniform with pride.
"I want to be there to welcome them every time they return in the rest of my life. I will prepare my uniform in advance, straighten it, and be ready to welcome when they come home," the CPV veteran said.
From 2014 to 2023, China and the ROK, in accordance with international laws and humanitarian principles, successfully completed 10 consecutive handovers involving the remains of 938 CPV martyrs in the ROK, along with related artifacts.
CPV veteran upholds tradition of welcoming comrades' remains home from ROK
