Honoring anti-virus heroes will boost China's march ahead

BEIJING -- China will hold a meeting Tuesday to commend role models from the country's fight against the COVID-19 epidemic. It is proper, necessary and timely to hold such an event to honor the heroes on all fronts of the people's anti-virus war, draw inspiration and boost the national morale to march forward in the face of new challenges.

The Chinese people have demonstrated to the world their solidarity, the highest degree of discipline, self-sacrifice and an unconquerable will to win during the fight against the virus.

There was a time when COVID-19 struck with unprecedented scale and ferocity, and at the same time, China's prevention and control measures were met with doubt, ridicule, accusations of human rights violations and even racist attacks from certain Western politicians. Yet rising above these smears, the country has set a noble example by putting people's lives first no matter the cost.

Tuesday's event will neither be a joyous celebration, as the sacrifice has been great, nor an ending to the anti-virus fight, as threats from imported cases or new outbreaks remain. Rather, the event will mark a new beginning of a long and arduous journey to counter the economic and social fallout from the epidemic, improve the public health system and fix governance shortcomings to strive for a better life for the people.

In a broader sense, China must face up to more difficulties and obstacles ahead on its path to realizing the dream of national rejuvenation. While China must focus on the daunting task of reform, development and maintaining stability, it has to tackle external threats to its core interests, interference in its internal affairs, and the comprehensive campaign launched by some U.S. politicians to contain China's development and alter the country's course of development.

These politicians, motivated by selfish political gains, are even attacking China's governance system with the aim of driving a wedge between the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese people. Their attempts are doomed to fail, as the leadership of the CPC and the inseparable link between the Party and the people have only been strengthened amid the battle against the virus and the recovery of work and production.

Despite challenges, China will rely on the great strength of the people to move forward. The country will also continue to cooperate with the international community to get over this difficult period. In this closely connected international community, there cannot be isolated victories over the virus. True victory will be total and shared by all.

The prevention and control measures taken by China may not be directly transferrable to other countries, given their different conditions and social systems. However, solidarity, the courage to face challenges and the strong will to win can transcend national and ethnic boundaries.

Heroes must be remembered, and their sacrifices will not have been made in vain. Tuesday's occasion will be a clarion for Chinese society to march toward the future with greater confidence and new vigor.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of Qiushi Journal.