China held a meeting on the morning of Sept 8 in Beijing to commend role models in the country’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, presented medals to recipients of the Medal of the Republic and the national honorary title at the Great Hall of the People. Xi also delivered a speech at the meeting. A total of 1,499 individuals, 500 groups, 186 CPC members and 150 primary-level Party organizations were commended for their roles in fighting the pandemic. Another 14 Party members were posthumously awarded. A group of collectives and individuals from the textile industry, enterprises and industrial clusters were commended.