Chinese Journalists Killed in NATO Air Strikes in 1999 Remembered

BETAPHOTO/MILAN ILIĆ

The Chinese journalists killed in a NATO air strike on the location where China's embassy was in 1999 were remembered on May 7 at a wreath-laying ceremony in front of the Chinese Culture Center in Belgrade.

Minister of Labor, Employment, Veterans' and Social Issues Milica Djurdjevic Stamenkovski said that both the Serbian and Chinese people went through "a joint storm" in 1999. "They experienced suffering, injustice and the results of the policy of force and lawlessness. In the name of the Serbian Cabinet and Serb people, I express my deepest condolences to the families of those who died, the Chinese people and state leadership of the friendly People's Republic of China," she said.

Chinese Ambassador Li Ming said that the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia was a violation of international law and the basic norms of international relations. "The world today is facing turbulence, changes and the escalation of clashes. Certain Western countries are dealing in militarism, constantly provoking confrontation and war, creating conflicts and chaos," Ming said.

NATO attacked the Chinese Embassy in FR Yugoslavia 27 years ago, killing three Chinese journalists - Shao Yunhuan,  a correspondent of China's Xinhua news agency and Xu Xinghu and his wife Zhu Ying of the Guangming Daily, while over 20 Chinese diplomats were injured and the embassy building severely damaged.