Martyrs' remains return to motherland

The remains of 43 Chinese soldiers who died during the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-53) were brought back to their motherland on Thursday.

The fallen heroes are scheduled to be buried at a martyrs' cemetery in Shenyang, capital of Liaoning province, on Friday.

The remains of and articles belonging to the soldiers were carried back from Incheon in the Republic of Korea to Shenyang on Thursday morning by a Y-20 strategic transport plane of the People's Liberation Army Air Force.

As soon as the Y-20 entered China's territorial airspace, two J-20 stealth fighter jets, the best combat aircraft in the Air Force, formed an escort to honor the fallen warriors.

After the transport aircraft landed at Shenyang Taoxian International Airport, PLA soldiers carried the caskets, covered by China's national flag, out of the plane and placed them in front of nearly 1,000 government officials, military personnel and representatives of the public for a brief remembrance ritual.

After the ceremony, the caskets were transported by PLA trucks and escorted by a large police motorcade to the Chinese People's Volunteer Army Martyrs' Cemetery in Shenyang. A large number of Shenyang residents stood along the route, holding banners and national flags to show respect.

A burial ceremony is scheduled to take place on Friday morning at the cemetery.

Earlier on Thursday morning, a handover ceremony for the remains was held at a facility in Incheon, where the remains and 495 articles of the Chinese martyrs were transferred to a Chinese delegation.

After that, the Chinese delegation held a brief remembrance event at Incheon International Airport.

Fang Kun, a senior Chinese diplomat to the ROK, placed the Chinese national flag on each of the caskets. Members of the delegation made deep bows in front of the caskets to show their respect and remembrance.

In ceremonial uniforms, PLA honor guards carried the caskets onto the Chinese transport plane, with one of them holding the Chinese national flag and leading the group.

Senior Colonel Wu Qian, a spokesman for China's Defense Ministry, said at a news conference in Beijing on Thursday afternoon that China has used the highest national ceremony to bring its heroes back home, adding that the sacrifice and feats of the fallen soldiers will be remembered forever.

The occasion marked the 11th consecutive year of the handover of Chinese soldiers' remains between the two nations. The ROK has so far returned the remains of 981 Chinese soldiers.

zhaolei@chinadaily.com.cn