The remains of 12 Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) martyrs who fell in action during the 1950-1953 War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, or the Korean War, 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 the 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.
The aircraft received the highest aviation honor of a water salute at the airport. CPV veterans and other attendees welcomed the martyrs' remains at the airport.
The Y-20B used the call sign "Ronggui 50" (meaning glorious return), symbolizing that the heroes who departed for war in 1950 are finally making their glorious return home.
The remains and personal effects of the fallen soldiers were then transported to the CPV martyrs' cemetery under the escort of a police motorcycle team.
Along the route of about 30 kilometers, more than 70,000 people from all walks of life lined the streets, waving national flags and holding banners to welcome the martyrs home and pay their respect.
A burial ceremony for the CPV martyrs' remains is scheduled to take place at 10:00 Thursday at the cemetery.
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.
Remains of 12 Chinese martyrs in Korean War returned to homeland from ROK
Two Pakistani candidates have been selected to become the first foreign astronauts to train for China's future space station missions, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) has announced, with one of them likely to become the first Pakistani to enter orbit.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the agency confirmed that candidates Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud have successfully passed several rounds of selection procedures and will soon come to China to participate in the spaceflight training process as reserve astronauts.
The CMSA said that after completing various training programs and passing rigorous assessments, one of the Pakistani candidates will participate in a future spaceflight mission as a payload specialist, becoming the first foreign astronaut to enter the Chinese space station.
The China Manned Space Engineering Office (CMSEO) and the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) signed a cooperation agreement on the spaceflight of Pakistani astronaut to the Chinese space station in February 2025.
Under the agreement, the Chinese government will select and train a group of Pakistani astronauts, and one of them will be the first foreign astronaut to enter the Chinese space station.
In the presence of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the agreement was signed by Lin Xiqiang, deputy director of the CMSEO and Muhammad Yousuf Khan, chairman of the SUPARCO at the Prime Minister's House.
The official selection of the astronauts from Pakistan marks a milestone in the history of China's space program and a landmark achievement in the international cooperation on the Chinese space station.
The CMSA also said it is a successful example of the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership taking shape in the space sector, which also fully demonstrates the Chinese government's open attitude toward sharing the fruits of space development with the international community.
The peaceful use of outer space for the benefit of all humanity has always been China's core mission and the purpose behind the vigorous development of the country's space endeavors, the CMSA said.
China's manned space program will always keep its doors open, welcoming countries around the world to actively participate in cooperation in fields such as scientific experiments, technical tests, and astronaut selection and training in the China Space Station in order to expand human understanding of the universe and contribute wisdom and strength to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, the CMSA statement added.
Two Pakistani astronauts selected to train for China's space station missions
