Chinese soldiers killed in Korean War laid to rest

Coffins containing the remains of Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) martyrs are escorted by soldiers during a burial ceremony at the CPV martyrs' cemetery in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Sept. 3, 2021. The remains of 109 Chinese soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War were laid to rest on Friday in Shenyang. (Xinhua/Yang Qing)

SHENYANG, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- The remains of 109 Chinese soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War were buried Friday in a cemetery in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province.

The remains of the fallen soldiers returned to China from the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Thursday. It was the eighth such repatriation since 2014, following a handover agreement signed between the countries.

The burial ceremony began at the Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) martyrs' cemetery in Shenyang at 10 a.m. A military band played as everyone stood in silence. Honor guards carrying the caskets of the martyrs entered the cemetery escorted by Chinese People's Liberation Army soldiers as the national anthem was being played. Yellow and white chrysanthemum were put up all around the cemetery.

Since 2014, the remains of 825 CPV soldiers have returned from the ROK.

Seventy-one years ago, the CPV crossed the Yalu River and fought alongside the army of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) against the ROK army and U.S.-led UN forces, eventually winning the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea in 1953.

More than 197,000 CPV soldiers sacrificed their lives in the war. The names of the martyrs can be seen on a memorial wall at the cemetery.

Escorted by two Chinese fighter jets, an air force plane carrying the remains and belongings of the fallen soldiers landed at the Taoxian international airport in Shenyang Thursday. People lined the streets as a motorcade escorted the caskets.

"I am a demobilized soldier. It is the sixth time that I have come to see the return of CPV martyrs. I regard them as my relatives," said Gao Huaxuan, a Shenyang citizen, who was among the crowd.

The Ministry of Veterans Affairs has established a DNA database of the returned remains to locate their relatives and descendants.

In 2020, the identities of four martyrs were confirmed and matched with their relatives.

"Last year, the remains of my great grand-uncle were returned from the ROK. His casket was covered with the national flag. I hope that the martyrs laid to rest today soon unite with their families," said Liang Runquan, great grand-nephew of CPV martyr Liang Baiyou.