In times of the unexpected COVID-19 outbreak, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has maintained its grasp over the situation while taking decisive actions, said General Secretary Xi Jinping on Tuesday.

The Party has continued to put people's health and safety first, he stressed.

General Secretary Xi Jinping of the CPC Central Committee, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at the ceremony to award outstanding individuals and organizations in the fight against COVID-19.

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Last December, the novel coronavirus outbreak was first reported in central China's Hubei Province and immediately sprawled across the country. Thanks to the stringent and thorough social distancing measures taken from the start of 2020, China was able to bring local infections down to single digits in just two months.

"The COVID-19 fight in China fully showed Chinese people's spirit, the country's strength and its determination to shoulder responsibilities," Xi said.

"We were not giving up on any single patient."

The Chinese president also highlighted the people's role in the fight, lauding them for building a solid line of defense against the pandemic.

They've made great sacrifices and contributions to the fight, Xi said.