The soldiers participated in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-1945).
Some 1,600 were imprisoned in the Pacific nation by the Japanese during the Second World War more than 650 soldiers died in prison camps, while nearly 1,000 soldiers were rescued and sent home by the U.S. Bavy in 1946.
The Chinese embassy in Papua New Guinea is looking for and identifying remains of the dead soldiers, but the Foreign Ministry refused to provide more details as to when their bodies will be sent back to China.
“China has attached great importance to the treatment of the remains of these Chinese soldiers and will have the issue settled without delay,” said China’s foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang.
Qin said China will hold a grand memorial ceremony when the remains return.
