Renowned Chinese respiratory specialist Zhong Nanshan (R) attends an oath-taking ceremony via video connections for two new probationary Party members in Wuhan to take the oath of joining the Communist Party of China, in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, March 2, 2020. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

 China announced on Monday it would reward people who have made outstanding contributions to the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic, with Zhong Nanshan nominated to receive the the highest state honor, "Medal of the Republic," and three others nominated for national honorary title.

Chinese respiratory diseases expert Zhong has been nominated to receive the "Medal of the Republic," while Zhang Boli, Chen Wei and Zhang Dingyu were recommended as candidates for the national honorary title.

The working committee for the granting of honors released the information on Monday to solicit public opinion. This is the second time that an individual will be awarded the Medal of the Republic, following the first national medal award in 2019.

In the fight against the novel coronavirus, China has proven to be a country with strong cohesion, as efforts made by Zhong and the other three saved millions of Chinese and people around the world from dying of the novel coronavirus, observes reached by the Global Times said on Monday.

"The award demonstrates China's national spirit of devotion and insisting on recognition to science, and the unity that China possesses in the face of difficulties," Zhang Ji, the Assistant Dean of School of International Relations and Public Affairs at Fudan University, told the Global Times on Monday. 

Because of their contributions, China has become the quickest country to curb the virus and has given time for other countries in the fight against the virus, Zhang said. 

Since the early stage of the epidemic, Zhong, 84 year old, did not choose to drop out. Instead, he went to the frontline against the COVDI-19 in Wuhan on the train's dining car stuffed with passengers.

The introductory statement released by the committee said that, during the COVID-19 epidemic, Zhong dared to speak up, pointed out the phenomenon of "person-to-person transmission," and placed great emphasis on strict prevention and control measures.

Zhong also led the diagnosis and treatment plans for the novel coronavirus and made outstanding contributions in epidemic prevention and control, offering medical treatment and scientific research, the statement said.

Zhong is an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and director of the National Respiratory Diseases Clinical Medicine Research Center at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University. Zhong had also played a leading role in the fight against SARS in 2003. 

As a candidate for the national honorary title, Zhang Boli, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering and one of the top consultants in the fight against the COVID-19 outbreak in Central China's Hubei Province, recommended the use of TCM in treating the novel coronavirus, achieving remarkable results and contributions to the prevention and control of the epidemic.

In an interview with the Global Times in June, Zhang Boli said saving lives trumps everything. He is proud that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is gaining international appeal due to effective results in treating COVID-19 patients. During China's fight against COVID-19, TCM has played a role in treating 92 percent of the COVID-19 cases nationwide.

Another candidate for the national honorary title, Zhang Dingyu, who is a deputy head of the Hubei Provincial Health Commission and dean of the Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, helped gain time by confirming the unknown pneumonia as the novel coronavirus. 

After receiving the first batch of seven patients with unexplained pneumonia on December 29 last year, he immediately set up isolation wards, took the lead in collecting samples for virus testing, and organized donations. His actions gained time through the confirmation of the novel coronavirus, and created conditions to launch pathological research into COVID-19. 

Zhang Dingyu led staff of Jinyintan Hospital in treating more than 2,800 patients. He made significant contributions to winning the fight against the COVID-19 in Wuhan and Hubei Province. 

The Global Times reporter had met with Zhang Dingyu in Wuhan in April, who had demonstrated a sense of responsibility and calm despite being at the center of the arduous fight. "You can still find strength and confidence from despair. Otherwise, you will not survive. The strength comes from confidence in our country and medical workers, which made us believe the epidemic could be defeated," Zhang Dingyu had said.

Infectious disease expert Chen Wei from the Institute of Biotechnology under the Academy of Military Medical Sciences, is also among the candidates for the national honorary title, as she contributed to basic research and vaccines for COVID-19.

The vaccine developed by the teams of Chen Wei became the first in the world to disclose complete phase one clinical trial results and declare a dual immune response in the recipients.

Efforts and work accomplished by these people are playing a much bigger role in helping fight the novel coronavirus that threatens mankind. China's diagnosis and treatment plans for the novel coronavirus by Zhong Nanshan, the use of TCM by Zhang Boli, and the vaccine developed by Chen Wei, are assisting other countries in battling COVID-19 or serving as a "public good," Zhang Ji told the Global Times. 

The "Medal of the Republic" award in 2019 went to eight people, including Tu Youyou, Yuan Longping and Shen Jilan.