China holds burial ceremony for soldier remains returned from ROK

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02:11

The burial ceremony for these 10 fallen Chinese Volunteer Soldiers who died in the 1950-53 Korean War began at 10 o'clock this morning at the memorial plaza of the Martyrs' Cemetery in Shenyang after they were returned to China by the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Wednesday.

More remains of Chinese Korean War soldiers to be repatriated

A convoy from the People's Liberation Army held nine caskets and marched slowly through the plaza. More than 300 people gathered to pay their respects, including government and military officials, Korean War veterans and members of the public.

People pay their respects to the fallen soldiers, Shenyang City, China, April 3, 2019. /VCG Photo

In Chinese customs and numerology, the number nine is the largest number, or in other words, the "king" of the numbers. The number nine also sounds similar to the Chinese word for everlasting, which often represents longevity.

Therefore, putting the remains of 10 Chinese soldiers in 9 caskets shows people's respect and condolences to the fallen soldiers. This marks the sixth year in a row that the ROK has handed over the remains of fallen soldiers to Chinese authorities.

"These remains are valuable assets for the nation and its people, the Ministry will make profound use of the stories from the fallen soldiers and encourage people from around the country to visit the cemetery hence to draw lessons from the past," said Li Liansheng, Division Chief of Commemoration Office of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, Liaoning Bureau.

So far, 599 sets of remains of Chinese Volunteer Soldiers have been returned and buried in Shenyang. And the identities of 24 sets of remains returned have been verified, with some of their relatives in Shenyang for the special occasion.

(Cover: Soldiers of the People's Liberation Army hold a memorial service for the returned remains of Chinese soldiers killed in the Korean War, Shenyang City, China, April 4, 2019. /VCG Photo)

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