SHENYANG, April 22 (Xinhua) -- The remains of 12 Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) martyrs who lost their lives during the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953) were returned to China from the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Wednesday.
A Chinese Air Force Y-20B large transport aircraft carrying the remains of the fallen soldiers and 146 of their personal effects landed at Taoxian International Airport in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province.
After it entered China's airspace, the Y-20B transport aircraft was escorted by four J-20 fighter jets. Upon landing at the airport, it was given a water salute in tribute to the fallen heroes.
As honor guards carried the caskets off the plane, a remembrance ceremony was held at the airport, attended by more than 1,800 people, including representatives from the military, war veterans, and relatives of CPV martyrs.
The caskets were draped with the Five-star Red Flag, and participants bowed three times in solemn silence to the martyrs' remains.
The remains will be laid to rest in a martyrs' cemetery in Shenyang on Thursday.
Since 2014, China and the ROK have completed 13 consecutive handovers involving the remains of 1,023 CPV martyrs in the ROK. Wednesday's mission also marks the first time the Y-20B has been deployed for the repatriation duties.
More than 70 years ago, the CPV crossed the Yalu River and fought alongside the army and civilians of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). China sent 2.9 million CPV soldiers to assist the DPRK during the war, of whom more than 360,000 were killed or injured.
After the arduous fight that lasted almost three years, the CPV eventually won the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea. ■
