PEOPLE’S HERO TITLES AWARDED

PEOPLES HERO TITLES AWARDED

Zhang Dingyu， a 56-year-old doctor， became one of the three recipients of the national honorary title， the Peoples Hero， on September 8 for his outstanding contributions to the fi ght against the novel coronavirus disease （COVID-19）. At a ceremony for medical professionals at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing， President Xi Jinping awarded four medical workers including Zhang for their outstanding achievement during the fi ght against COVID-19.

Zhang heads the Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital， one of the major battlefields during the epidemic. He and his colleagues have treated and saved more than 2，800 COVID-19 patients， many of whom were critically ill.

“I never thought about being a hero. Everyone has made sacrifi ces and contributions. Im just one of them，” he said.

However， his contribution stands out. Zhang has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis （ALS）， a progressive degeneration of the nervous system that， it is feared， could eventually lead to absolute paralysis and death. He was diagnosed with ALS in 2018 but has never talked about his personal health problem when fi ghting the epidemic.

A Necessary Lull

Beijing Youth Daily September 5

Summer is the golden season for agricultural production. However， for fi shing， it is a period of moratorium.

Since 1995， a summer fi shing ban has been in place in the Bohai Sea and the East China Sea， which plays a signifi cant role in protecting fishery resources. The positive results made the Ministry of Agriculture in 1999 announced a fi shing ban in the South China Sea too since then.

Today， the ban covers all the sea areas under Chinese jurisdiction， extended from two months to three and a half or even four and a half months. Every year， the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs issues notices to clarify how long the ban is in different areas.

Millions of fishermen and over 100，000 fishing boats in coastal provinces follow the moratorium. Since the 1980s， excessive fi shing put tremendous pressure on fi shery resources though they are renewable. Therefore， from a long-term perspective， it is necessary to implement a summer fi shing moratorium.

Some provinces offer fi shermen subsidies during the off-season. For instance， Guangdong Province in south China subsidizes fi shery production costs.

Today， more and more doctors are participating in science popularization through the Internet， providing high-quality medical videos. According to a report released by www.DXY.com， a health service website， 62 percent of doctors offer online services 15.2 hours a week. In addition to providing regular diagnosis at hospitals， they can also become Internet celebrities and a vital force enhancing communication between doctors and patients.

Therefore， it is urgent to protect the online medical science channels and ensure that people get guidance from real medical personnel， whose activities should be encouraged.

The platforms should also verify their doctorsidentity. Otherwise， they bear joint liability for any adverse outcome.

YOUNG SCIENTIST WINS ALIBABA FINANCIAL SUPPORT

Zhao Baodan， a 29-year-old principal investigator at the College of Optical Science and Engineering， Zhejiang University in east China， has won a prestigious annual award founded by the Alibaba Group in 2017 for young Chinese scholars.

Zhao became an Alibaba Academy for Discovery， Adventure， Momentum and Outlook Young Fellow with nine other young scientists on September 9， an accolade for outstanding young scholars engaged in fundamental science and applied research with the potential to contribute signifi cantly to science and technology.

A Ph.D. in physics， Zhao is also a visiting researcher at the University of Cambridge. She explores energy loss in calcium and titanium materials and application of new semiconductor materials in optoelectronics that are more effi cient and environment friendly.

The award carries a purse of 1 million yuan （$146，400） and provides other support for research such as open data resources.

“China has no ambition to seek hegemony， much less to replace the United States. However， China will resolutely safeguard its sovereignty， security and development interests.”

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi， at the China-ASEAN foreign ministers meeting via video link on September 9

“If we were able to hand over an award for the best country in response to the coronavirus， China would have deserved the first， second， and third places due to its outstanding success.”

Ghanim Al-Hujailan， an infectious disease consultant at Al-Adan Hospital in Kuwait， to Xinhua News Agency on September 9

“China is a major global manufacturing powerhouse of electronic products， its demand for semiconductors has been growing steadily， and it has become a major driving force of the global semiconductor market.”

Gao Feng， Ministry of Commerce spokesperson， at a press conference on September 10

“From live-streaming sales to building lasting business relationships online to adopting and adapting new production technology， China is giving the rest of the world a glimpse of the future.”

Mark Wang， President and CEO of HSBC China， in an article in South China Morning Post on September 7