China’s cherishing of life manifests beauty of human nature

Joint efforts of mankind are needed to cope with the novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) pandemic.

Lu Ming, a doctor assigned to assist Wuhan, reunites with her daughter, April 10, 2020. Lu is among the second batch of 20 medical workers dispatched by Huainan, east China’s Anhui Province, to Wuhan. Chen Bin/People’s Daily Online

China’s practice has shown the world that the 1.4 billion Chinese people have stayed united as one and supported each other to get through the crisis. They have built a powerful defense line with society-wide efforts for joint epidemic prevention and control, and manifested the nation’s strong capability to fight and win the battle against the epidemic by mobilizing all resources and blocking the spread of the virus.

Behind the indomitable will and power is the fact that the Chinese people cherish and protect lives, which is a manifestation of the beauty of human nature. In the epidemic, China has played a warm and touching melody by putting people’s lives in the first place.

China has admitted all suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients to the hospital and treated and offered testing to them. Upholding the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, China cherishes the life of everyone, and does its best to leave no one behind in COVID-19 response.

Customs staff check anti-pandemic materials donated by northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province to Russia in Heihe, Heilongjiang Province, April 2, 2020. Qiu Qilong/People’s Daily Online

Putting people’s lives and health in the first place is a common belief that supports all Chinese people to work together and fight tenaciously. It also inspires all Chinese medical personnel to fight side by side against the virus and death for favorable progress.

In Hubei, the number of severely and critically ill COVID-19 patients has dropped from more than 10,000 at the peak to less than 100, and more than 3,600 patients aged above 80 years old have been cured. In the province’s capital Wuhan, seven centenarians have been cured, with the oldest one aged at 108, and nearly 70 percent of the patients aged above 80 in the city have been cured.

This is a miracle created by medical personnel striving to save lives with maximum efforts.

In this people’s war against the epidemic, the selfless dedication and courageous contribution of the Chinese people can be seen everywhere. The Chinese medical workers have raced against time and relayed to save lives. They showed great care and concerns for the patients, and carried on traditional Chinese virtues with love for everyone.

Statistics indicate that about 3.61 million Chinese have volunteered about 116 million hours of their time to fight against the epidemic since Jan. 20.

Olivier Adam, executive coordinator of United Nations Volunteers (UNV), issued a public statement in honor of Chinese volunteers, addressing nearly 500,000 young volunteers and volunteer organizations who have devoted themselves to the fight against COVID-19.

Volunteers buy living materials for residents under home quarantine in Yubei District, southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality, March 18, 2020. Wan Nan/People’s Daily Online

Adam said that the tireless action of the volunteer organizations and volunteers is an outstanding demonstration of Chinese volunteers’ sense of dedication, ownership, and responsibility in the spirit of volunteerism.

To win the global battle against the pandemic, the international society needs to focus on the bigger picture by realizing that the COVID-19 pandemic is a common challenge of mankind and a global health crisis. To cope with it, countries must uphold the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, be responsible for people’s lives and health, and take effective and concrete actions to cope with the situation to the best of their ability.

China and the world are closely connected as they share the common value of cherishing life. So far, China has sent nearly 200 medical experts to 17 countries in Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America, and has shared experience in epidemic prevention and control with most countries in the world.

In Iraq, the Chinese medical experts said that “no matter where we go, someone will ask to take a photo with us, and we can feel the most sincere welcome to us from the smiles on their faces”; in Serbia, the Chinese experts have left their footprints in almost all the areas where the epidemic occurred, and extended the aid plan at the request of the Serbian side; in Laos, Chinese experts visited the patients before returning home, and the patients all gave thumbs up to them.

The concrete actions of China have interpreted the power of truth, goodness and beauty, and showcased the empathy and love shared by people of all countries based on the recognition of a community with a shared future for mankind.

The COVID-19 pandemic is still spreading rapidly around the world, which requires members of the international community to cherish life, unite and cooperate, and help each other. At this critical moment for the global war against the pandemic, we should illuminate the road ahead with humanity, build a stronger power to jointly protect lives, and embrace the hope of a final victory.