Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday signed a presidential order to award four people for their outstanding contribution in fighting the COVID-19 epidemic.

Xi's presidential order came after the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress voted at the 21st session to adopt a decision to confer the national medal and honorary title on the four renowned specialists.

Zhong Nanshan, a top respiratory expert who identified the SARS virus in 2003 and is currently leading the Chinese government's efforts in the fight against COVID-19, was awarded the Medal of the Republic.

The national honorary title, "the People's Hero," was conferred on Zhang Boli, a traditional Chinese medicine expert who presided over the research of the COVID-19 treatment scheme combining traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine, Zhang Dingyu, head of Wuhan's designated coronavirus-treating Jinyintan Hospital, and Chen Wei, a military medical scientist who made major achievements in COVID-19-related basic research and development of vaccine and protective medicine.

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In the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, many exemplary individuals have emerged.

The decision was made to commend people who have made an outstanding contribution in the fight against the disease.

Presenting to these people the nation's top honor is intended to fully demonstrate the Chinese people's spirit of uniting as one and their extraordinary courage, and to pull people together for the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics and achieving the first centenary goal.

(With input from Xinhua)