Ex-soldiers granted medals for resisting US aggression

Veterans of the Chinese People's Volunteers have been granted memorial medals for their contributions in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-53).

The medals were presented to living veterans and other personnel in the name of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the State Council and the Central Military Commission as China celebrates the 70th anniversary of the CPV entering the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the war. A meeting to commemorate the 70th anniversary will be held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Friday.

The medal is made of gold-plated copper and silver and has a diameter of 50 millimeters. The center of the medal bears an image of a CPV soldier standing against a backdrop of 70 beams of light, surrounded by a dove of peace, rippling water and the national flags of China and the DPRK.

The outer ring of the medal also adopts features of five-pointed stars, laurel leaves, arrows and the azalea flower.

In a report on the issuing of the medal, Xinhua News Agency said it symbolizes that the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea was "a war of justice fought to safeguard peace and resist aggression", and that "the great spirit demonstrated in the war will always be the invaluable wealth of the Chinese people".

The report added that the medal represents "China's firm determination and confidence in defying its enemies, safeguarding world peace and building a community with a shared future for mankind".

The awarding of the medal was part of a series of commemorations that started earlier this week. On Monday, an exhibition dedicated to the war opened at the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution in Beijing, displaying artworks, photos, documents, badges and cultural relics.

On Thursday, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs and the Central Military Commission's Political Work Department sent a letter to veterans and their families expressing regards and respect.

The letter said the victory in the war "maintained peace in Asia and the world, consolidated the newly founded People's Republic of China, broke the myth of the invincibility of US imperialism, displayed the might of the nation and greatly enhanced national confidence and pride".

The CPV soldiers sacrificed their lives and fought bravely in bloody battles, winning a relatively stable and peaceful environment for domestic economic and social development. They were never forgotten by the Party and the country who have done everything possible to honor them, it said.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made clear instructions on the work of commemorating martyrs. Relevant military departments and authorities have continuously improved their services and guided all of society to better appreciate these heroes, the letter said.

It also emphasized the importance of inheriting the legacy of these martyrs and bearing original aspirations in mind to strive for the realization of the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.