(ANN/CHINA DAILY) – In a significant development since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States dispatched a groundbreaking delegation to China with the mission of locating the remains of American soldiers who went missing in the country during World War II.
This initiative, as announced by China’s Ministry of National Defence on Thursday, marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing efforts to account for military personnel lost overseas.
During a press briefing, Ministry spokesperson Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang revealed that the delegation, representing the US Defence POW/MIA Accounting Agency, conducted exploratory surveys in both the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Hunan Province.
This endeavour was supported by a collaborative effort involving personnel from various Chinese governmental agencies, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Central Military Commission’s Office for International Military Cooperation, and military archive management departments.
Senior Colonel Zhang emphasised the significance of this survey, noting it as the first of its kind since the global disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
He highlighted China’s long-standing commitment to a humanitarian ethos, underlining the practical progress achieved through its assistance to the US in the quest to locate the remains of missing American military personnel within its borders.
“This is the first site survey conducted by the two sides since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Zhang said.
“Over the years, committed to the humanitarian spirit, China has provided assistance to the US military to search for the remains of its missing personnel in China and has made practical progress.”
