Sweeping tombs in memory of 'silent comrades-in-arms'

By Chen Xin and Liu Ming

BEIJING, Apr. 8 -- On April 1, before the Qingming Festival, also known as the Tomb-sweeping Day, soldiers assigned to a mobile detachment under the Chinese People's Armed Police (PAP) Force Guangxi Corps, along with their active-duty military working dogs, went to a military working dog cemetery to hold memorial ceremony for the departed meritorious dogs. They stood orderly in line and presented flowers to the deceased dogs.

There are 34 meritorious military dogs buried in the cemetery. They were all frontline fighters in mission areas such as counter-narcotics, explosive ordnance disposal and emergency response, and had actively participated in emergency response, disaster relief, and anti-terrorism operations, among others.

A PAP service member paints the gravestone of a deceased dog on April 2, 2024.

PAP members and their military working dogs stand in silent tribute on April 2, 2024.

A military working dog named Kaite presents flowers to his deceased fellows on April 2, 2024.