After 54 years in India, war veteran returns home for a family reunion

A former Chinese soldier who was unable to leave India for 54 years flew home to China over the weekend, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Wang Qi, now in his 70s, was an army engineer when he went missing in a forest on the China-India border in 1963. He was later detained by the Indian military and imprisoned for seven years on an espionage charge.

"This is the happiest day in my life," he was quoted as saying after landing at Beijing Capital International Airport on Saturday morning. "I can't find the words to describe my happiness. It's a most memorable day for me."