A poster of the film the Battle at Lake Changjin. Photo: CFP

Chinese netizens on Tuesday commemorated the 71st anniversary of the Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) Army entering North Korea to help in the war to resist US aggression. They posted videos, pictures and heroic stories of Chinese soldiers fighting the war, and said the great spirit of the soldiers should be inherited in the new era to safeguard our homeland.

The hashtag "71st anniversary of the CPV Army entering North Korea" became a hot topic on Sina Weibo, with more than 190 million views and discussions as of press time. 

Videos featuring soldiers fighting, and stories such as a solider marching despite frozen toes in the cold weather went viral on China's social media platforms. 

On October 19, 1950, as requested by North Korea, CPV forces crossed the Yalu River alongside the border line between China and North Korea to aid the latter's fight against US aggression until a truce was signed in 1953. A total of 2.9 million CPV soldiers fought in the war, and 197,653 of them sacrificed their lives.

"How I wish I had a time machine to travel back and show them the prosperity of today's China. But I think that is too cruel for them not to be able to enjoy it. The country is blessed by those people who sacrificed their lives for others' safety. We should always bear in mind those heroes' deeds that made the peace we enjoy today, but also remember their spirit in our blood, so that we will show some color to anyone who dares challenge us," said one Sina Weibo user. 

The Chinese public's sentiment toward the war was also awakened by the recently released blockbuster The Battle at Lake Changjin, which features stories of CPVs fighting the war. The movie's box office has surpassed 5 billion yuan ($780 million), breaking many records.

Global Times