The remains of 12 Chinese People's Volunteers martyrs who died during the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-53) returned to China on Wednesday.

The remains and 146 related artifacts were transported from Incheon, South Korea, to Shenyang in Northeast China's Liaoning province aboard the country's most advanced large transport aircraft, the Y-20B. Upon entering Chinese airspace, four J-20 stealth fighter jets escorted the aircraft in tribute.

China and South Korea held a handover ceremony for the martyrs' remains on Wednesday morning at Incheon International Airport.

At the ceremony, Xu Yao, China's vice-minister of veterans affairs, said the two sides have, in line with humanitarian principles, conducted handovers of the remains of Chinese People's Volunteers martyrs in South Korea for 13 consecutive years, bringing home 1,023 martyrs.

He said the handovers have become a vivid example of friendly cooperation between the two countries.

Xu expressed gratitude to relevant South Korean departments and staff for their efforts, adding that China is willing to deepen exchanges and cooperation so that more fallen soldiers can return home at an early date.

A reception ceremony was held at Shenyang Taoxian International Airport, attended by more than 1,800 people, including veterans of the war, relatives of the martyrs, Olympic athletes, and teachers and students from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

After the ceremony, the coffins were escorted to a cemetery for martyrs of the war in Shenyang. A burial ceremony is scheduled for Thursday.

Since 2014, China and South Korea have completed 13 batches of handovers of martyrs' remains. Wednesday's mission also marked the first time the Y-20B was used for the repatriation task.