Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Chen Bo and other Chinese officials and diplomats on Saturday local time visited the old site of the Chinese Embassy to the former Yugoslavia and laid wreaths to commemorate three Chinese reporters killed in a bombing conducted by the NATO forces 22 years ago.
Saturday was also the first day of the Qingming Festival holidays in China, a festival when people pay tribute to the dead and worship their ancestors by visiting tombs and making offerings.
According to the Xinhua News Agency on Sunday, Chen said at the ceremony honoring the three martyrs that she believed that the three martyrs would be pleased to see the strength of China nowadays and the development of China-Serbia relations.
Chen said that “We will honor the martyrs by fully taking on and delivering our duties, and safeguard China’s interests and Chinese people’s dignity. We will also pass on the will of the martyrs, and make contributions to safeguarding justice and fairness in the world,” according to the Xinhua report.
On the late night of May 7, 1999, NATO bombed the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade with missiles during its campaign against the former Yugoslavia, killing three and injuring dozens. The three reporters killed were Shao Yunhuan from the Xinhua News Agency and Xu Xinghu and Zhu Ying from the Guangming Daily.
The bombing invoked strong protest from the Chinese government and people, followed by a wave of protests in many Chinese cities.
Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe also visited Belgrade on March 26 and made a special trip to the site of the bombed Chinese Embassy in former Yugoslavia to pay tribute to martyrs, according to the website of Chinese Ministry of National Defense.
“The Chinese people will never forget this period of history and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army will never allow such history to repeat itself;” the Chinese defense chief said. “We are fully capable and determined to safeguard our national sovereignty, security and development interests.”
Photo:Web
