Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday signed a presidential order to award epidemiologist Zhong Nanshan the Medal of the Republic, the highest state honor, for his outstanding contributions in China’s fight against the COVID-19 epidemic.
This is the second time for China to award the medal. The first was awarded last year to pharmaceutical chemist Tu Youyou, Yuan Longping, a Chinese agronomist and educator, and Shen Liangliang, a soldier of the Chinese peacekeeping force in Mali.
Along with Zhong, China’s top medical adviser Zhang Boli, top Chinese vaccine researcher Chen Wei and Zhang Dingyu, dean of Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, were awarded national honorary titles, “the People’s Hero.”
Awarding the top honor to four prominent coronavirus fighters in China showcases the core spirit of the Chinese people in respecting science and professionalism – two key factors that helped the country win the battle against COVID-19, experts said.