China's Shenzhou-19 crew fully prepared, confident in fulfilling tasks: commander

Crew members for the Shenzhou-19 manned spaceflight mission are fully prepared and confident in fulfilling the tasks, said mission commander Cai Xuzhe at a press conference on Tuesday.

The Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceship is scheduled to be launched at 04:27 Wednesday (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

According to the agency, Cai, along with astronauts Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze, will carry out the mission.

Cai, 48, is a Senior Colonel and was selected to join the second batch of Chinese astronauts in 2010.

Cai's first journey into space was as a crew member of the Shenzhou-14 mission in 2022. He was honored with the title "Heroic Astronaut" for his service and accomplishments in that mission.

"After a new round of comprehensive and systematic training, we are now fully prepared in terms of our mental readiness, technical skills, physical fitness and psychological state. We are confident, determined, and fully capable of completing this mission," said Cai.

According to Cai, the Shenzhou-19 crew has undergone comprehensive training to prepare for the extravehicular activities planned for this mission.

"The Shenzhou-19 mission will include multiple extravehicular activities. We have conducted extensive training on the ground, making every effort to anticipate all possible scenarios. We have thoroughly analyzed the valuable experience of previous extravehicular missions, so as to ensure that all the plans are well-prepared and effectively practiced," he said.

Cai expressed confidence that the Shenzhou-19 crew will work together to accomplish the mission, despite the age differences among them.

Song and Wang, among the third batch of Chinese astronauts, are newcomers to space. Both of them were born in the 1990s.

"My two new teammates were both born in the 1990s. Although there is an age difference between us, we share the same goal: to serve our country and win honor for it while working and striving together," Cai said.

The Shenzhou-19 astronauts will complete in-orbit rotation with the Shenzhou-18 trio and stay at the space station for approximately six months, witnessing the arrival of the Tianzhou-8 cargo craft and Shenzhou-20 crewed spaceship during the mission.

China's Shenzhou-19 crew fully prepared, confident in fulfilling tasks: commander

China's Shenzhou-19 crew fully prepared, confident in fulfilling tasks: commander

Commemorations honoring Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) martyrs were held on the banks of the Yalu River in Dandong, Liaoning Province on Tuesday as part of ongoing tributes to those who fought in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953).

The event was held to mark the return of the remains of 12 CPV martyrs, who were killed in the war, from the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Wednesday.

This will be the 13th such repatriation of CPV remains following the handover agreement between the two countries. Since 2014, the remains of 1,011 soldiers have been returned to China from the ROK, according to China's Ministry of Veterans Affairs.

More than 170 representatives, including veteran CPV soldiers, relatives of the martyrs, active-duty personnel, students, and other from various sectors of society, attended the event.

People boarded a ferry which slowly sailed down the Yalu River. Inside the cabin, all present stood in solemn silence as the national anthem of the People's Republic of China was played, and observed a moment of silence in honor of the CPV martyrs.

Then, they walked to the ship's railings one by one and scattered flower petals into the river to pay tribute to the martyrs.

"We, the CPV, went abroad to fight to defend our motherland, the people, and our good life and to resist U.S. imperialist aggression against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). I hope that our young comrades and students today will study hard and make contributions to our motherland," said Hu Changzhe, a CPV veteran.

"I feel deeply moved as these veteran soldiers are heroes who once fought for our country. Now, standing by the Yalu River, looking back on their past and remembering their comrades, they must be deeply touched," said Hong Jialu, a student at a branch of Liaoning Province Shiyan High School.

At the event, 10 student representatives from primary and middle schools read aloud a letter to express their reverence and remembrance for the heroic martyrs through their sincere words and heartfelt recitation.

The Korean War broke out in June 1950, eight months after the People's Republic of China was founded. At the request 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.

Commemorations held to pay tribute to CPV heroes in northeast China