President Xi Jinping is delivering a speech at a meeting in Beijing's Great Hall of the People, commending role models in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic in the Chinese mainland.
Saving lives was foremost, Xi says.
He says China had effectively curbed the spread of the novel coronavirus and protected people's lives and health to the greatest extent.
He conveys the Chinese people's moral support for those who are infected with the novel coronavrus and receiving medical treatment. He pays tribute to those who had given their lives in fighting the novel coronavirus disease and others who had died from the disease.
China will also not forget those who gave their lives fighting the novel coronavirus. "Their names will always be recorded in the annals of the people's republic.''
China has become the first major economy to return to growth since the novel coronavirus pandemic, and has taken the lead in the world in both epidemic control and economic recovery. "This has demonstrated China's strong ability of recovery and enormous vitality," Xi said.
Chinese people were united in the battle against the coronavirus. The entire country cheered for Wuhan, Xi says.
China contained the new coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan and Hubei province in three months, he says. Wuhan and Hubei were the main battlefields. "We mobilised resources from across the country.''
In Wuhan and Hubei, 540,000 battled the coronavirus, XI says.
The Communist Party of China Central Committee adopted extraordinary measures to tackle the extraordinary incident of the coronavirus epidemic, Xi says.
China has been working together with other countries of the world, and contributed its wisdom and strength to the global fight against thecoronavirus pandemic.
Respiratory disease expert Zhong Nanshan received highest state honor today, the Medal of the Republic. Medals for the national honorary title "the People's Hero" was awarded to Zhang Boli, Zhang Dingyu and Chen Wei for their contributions.
Also, 1,500 individuals and 500 groups, as well as 200 Communist Party members and 150 party groups were hnored for their contributions to the national coronavirus fight.
Xi says China exported 209,000 ventilators from March 15 to September 6, noting that China has effectively supported the world's prevention and control of the novel coronavirus. China exported 1.4 billion protective suits.
The Chinese people have united as one and stood together through thick and thin during the fight against the virus, Xi says.
Xi says the Chinese people sympathize with all those who have been suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic in different countries and grieve for all those who lost their lives in the pandemic
