Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday inspected Wuhan, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus
outbreak (COVID-19) in central China’s Hubei province, praising the prevention and control
efforts there.
He visited medics and patients, People’s Liberation Army commanders and soldiers, community
residents and workers, police officers, grassroots cadres, officials and volunteers on the frontline
of the battle against the novel coronavirus, and paid high respect to them.
Calling Wuhan a heroic city and its people heroic people, Xi said they will be remembered in
history for the final victory against the disease and the whole nation is deeply moved by Wuhan
people.
Xi extended greetings to the people in Wuhan. The president also spoke highly of and affirmed the
huge sacrifices and great contributions Wuhan people have made in preventing and controlling the
epidemic. His remarks expressed the common aspiration of the 1.4 billion Chinese people.
Hubei province, especially Wuhan, was most hit by COVID-19, becoming a key region for
winning the battle against the epidemic.
In the face of the epidemic, medical workers in Hubei and those assisting them from across the
country went in harm’s way and became “warriors in white”; military personnel answered the call
rapidly and fought bravely against the disease; community workers, police officers, grassroots
cadres, officials, and volunteers feared no difficulty and stayed on the frontline; plain citizens
actively rose to the occasion and contributed to the battle in their own way.
There are names that should be remembered, including Zhang Dingyu, head of Wuhan Jinyintan
Hospital, and also a frontline medical worker with ALS disease, Zhang Jixian, the first doctor
reporting the novel coronavirus, and Xu Xiaofeng, a police officer suffering from intestinal cancer
but still staying at his post.
These people, standing up for the health of others against challenges, are building an iron wall of
defense.
According to a research paper published on Science magazine, the travel quarantine of Wuhan,
starting Jan. 23, delayed the overall epidemic progression by 3 to 5 days on Chinese mainland, and
reduced global case importations by nearly 80% by mid-February.
This is why we should thank the people in Wuhan. The lockdown of Wuhan almost stagnated the
city, affecting over ten million citizens. However, in the war against the epidemic, the people there
have always borne the overall situation in mind, and demonstrated bravery, determination and
unyielding spirit. They did all they could to support the epidemic prevention and control, and
proactively joined the fight against the epidemic.
Their huge contribution showcased their resilience and noble character to both the country and the
world. The table could not have been turned without the sacrifice, devotion, perseverance and
efforts of the people in the city.
Such devotion and sacrifice of Wuhan people are seen by the whole world. “To the people of
Wuhan, it is recognized that the world is in your debt, and when this disease finishes, hopefully,
we will have a chance to thank the people in Wuhan for the role that they played in it. I know
people in the city have gone through an extraordinary period and they are going through it, " said
Bruce Aylward, the foreign head of the WHO-China Joint Mission on COVID-19, after a visit to
Wuhan.
Such sincere remarks carry justice and public opinion, and are recognized by the visionary all over
the world. Wuhan people, with concrete actions, demonstrated the strength and spirit of China, as
well as the Chinese people’s devotion to family and country – something enables them to stick
together through thick and thin and support each other. This is why they have won gratitude and
respect from the world.
The prevention and control efforts have entered a critical period. While paying respect to Wuhan
people, we should stand firmly with them to overcome difficulties and defeat the epidemic
together. With the strong support the 1.4 billion Chinese people, the heroic Wuhan people will
overcome all difficulties.
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