The Politics of Bones: The Political Motives behind the Repatriation of Remains of Chinese Soldiers Killed in the Korean War

Between 2014 and 2020, China brought back from South Korea 716 sets of remains of Chinese soldiers who had died in the Korean War (1950–53). Why did the Chinese government decide to repatriate the remains of fallen soldiers only after so many years had passed? What are Beijing’s political motivations? We argue that the Chinese Communist Party utilizes the repatriation of war remains as a propaganda opportunity to appeal to veterans and to boost military morale and nationalistic support of the Party. Our study investigates the first cases of repatriating war dead from Myanmar in 2011 and traces policy developments since the establishment of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs in 2018. Our findings enhance understanding of the changing relationship between the Communist Party and vital constituencies in China.