July 1 Medal recipient Zhoigar devoted to guarding China's territory in Tibet

[Photo/People's Daily]

Zhoigar, a veteran CPC member and a herdswoman in Lhunze county of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, has devoted herself to guarding the country's territory on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau for decades.

Zhoigar, who is in her sixties, was recently awarded the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Party established by the CPC Central Committee.

Zhoigar and her family are based in Yumai township, which sits at the southern foot of the Himalayas, where steep slopes make access difficult. Since 1960, they have been patrolling the border area and protecting thousands of square kilometers of land with the firm belief that "my hometown is Yumai and my country is China."

Influenced by her father Sangye Chupa, the first head of Yumai township, Zhoigar started patrolling the border area when she was a teenager. It was a daunting task, as Zhoigar, her father and her sister Yangzom were the only residents in the township for years. During rainy seasons, debris flows and mountain torrent disasters are frequent.

Despite all the hardships, Zhoigar has traversed the pastures and jungles while herding over hundreds of yaks. "Our family has lived here for generations. No matter how difficult and how exhausting the task is, I will always protect every inch of my homeland," she said.

In 2017, Zhoigar and her sister wrote a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping, also General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, reporting their experience in guarding the country's borders, outlining the development of their hometown, and pledging to make continuous efforts to protect the border.

In his reply, while praising the family's efforts to safeguard the territory, Xi hoped that they would carry forward the spirit of patriotism, and motivate more herders to put down roots in the border areas like galsang flowers and become guardians of the Chinese territory and constructors of a happy hometown.

Great changes have taken place in Yumai since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012. A newly-built highway now links it with the world outside, making it possible for residents to travel from their home to the county seat in about four hours. Yumai, once a "three-person township", saw its total population increase to 32 by 2016, and 234 in 2020. Residents now live in prefabricated buildings, work in the tourism industry and run homestay businesses. More facilities such as a museum of the township's history and a tourist center are under construction.

Zhoigar has made her house a model for promoting local tourism, and introduces the history of Yumai to tourists. She also takes the lead in improving the local living environment and protecting the ecological environment.

Zhoigar still patrols the border areas occasionally despite her old age, according to Hu Xuemin, secretary of the CPC Yumai township committee. "All the cadres of our township see her as a role model, and will continue to protect our sacred motherland," Hu said.