China on Tuesday awarded 122 individuals and 33 groups and organizations the 26th national May 4th Medals to mark their great contributions to the country in crucial fields including biomedicine, Beijing Winter Olympics Games, space science and technology, environmental protection, rice breeding, and railway construction exploration.

Among them, 73 individuals and 17 groups were awarded for their outstanding contributions to the completion of major national tasks, such as manned space missions.

Among the awardees is Zhou Lei, who has been dedicated to domestic rice breeding and application technology; Huang Zhen, deputy chief designer of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation's manned space program; Pan Shilong, who broke foreign monopoly on microwave photonics technology; as well as the Sichuan-Xizang Railway geological research team, which upgraded its railway investigation technology to a leading international level. They are all breakthrough in the cutting edge of science and technology.

Some frontline personnel and groups who have been protecting people's lives and property were also on the list, such as Song Yin, China's first female search and rescue captain who has long been stationed in the East China Sea, and team fighting against drug trafficking at a checkpoint on the China-Myanmar border.

Many athletes and sports groups also received medals, including a youth volunteer group from the Shougang Group that sent out 109 teachers and students to work as volunteers at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

At the Games, young Chinese athletes shined on the ice and snow, while many Chinese youth also worked as volunteers to present the world with a streamlined, safe and splendid experience.

A courier from Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province was also among the awardees.
The May 4th Medal has been bestowed on exceptional individuals and groups since 1997 with the aim of inspiring the country's youth to embrace and preserve the May 4th Movement spirit and encourage them to contribute to the development of the country.

The patriotic May 4th Movement was held in 1919 by young Chinese students and intellectuals to fight imperialism and feudalism. In 1949, the Chinese government officially declared May 4 as the Youth Day.

Global Times