Learning in Progress | These Heroic Women Have Earned Praise from General Secretary Xi Jinping

[Learning in Progress] Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has attached great importance to women’s work, repeatedly praising heroic women from all sectors. On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Xinhua News Agency’s original brand column “Learning in Progress,” titled “Lectureship,” has published an article that compiles General Secretary Xi Jinping’s heartwarming remarks, inviting readers to share in the inspiring lives of women heroes in the new era.

　 　Praising the “heroine of the nation,” astronaut Liu Yang—“the ‘image ambassador’ of Chinese women”

　　 On February 17, 2023, the Shenzhou‑14 crew held a press conference at the Beijing Aerospace City. Pictured here is astronaut Liu Yang answering questions from reporters. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Guo Zhongzheng.

　　In 2012, Liu Yang flew aboard Shenzhou-9, becoming China’s first female astronaut to venture into space. A decade later, she once again soared into the heavens aboard the Shenzhou-14 crewed spacecraft.

　　At the 2013 Two Sessions, after attending the plenary meeting of the PLA delegation to the First Session of the 12th National People’s Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping met with Liu Yang and seven other military deputies to the NPC who came from the grassroots level. He engaged in cordial conversation with Liu Yang and hailed her as a “heroine.”

　　“You’re a true heroine, a shining example of how women can hold up half the sky—and now you’ve even become the ‘image ambassador’ for Chinese women!”

　　“We are fortunate to have lived through a golden era of national development, and we will surely inscribe our motherland’s honor across the vast expanse of space!” Liu Yang replied with unwavering resolve.

　 　Kudos to “Old Auntie” Gong Quanzhen—“We must carry forward this spirit of hard work and perseverance.”

　 　Gan Zuchang (right) and his wife, Gong Quanzhen (file photo). Xinhua News Agency.

　　On September 26, 2013, during a meeting with the fourth National Role Models of Morality and their nominees, General Secretary Xi Jinping turned his gaze to an elderly woman seated on the left in the front row. With deep emotion, he said, “Just now, I noticed this senior figure—she is Gong Quanzhen, the wife of our veteran general Gan Zuchang. She is over ninety years old, and seeing her filled me with heartfelt warmth.”

　　In 1957, Gong Quanzhen gave up city life and returned to her hometown with her husband to help alleviate poverty and support education. Relying on a modest salary, she worked to build irrigation systems, construct power stations, and erect school buildings, dedicating herself to poverty alleviation and assisting those in need.

　　General Secretary Xi Jinping said, “More than half a century has passed, yet Comrade Gong Quanzhen has consistently upheld the spirit of hard work and perseverance. She was also honored as a National Role Model for Morality and has attended today’s meeting, which fills me with great satisfaction. I extend my highest respect to Comrade Gong Quanzhen.”

　　General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that we must carry forward this spirit of hard work and perseverance, ensuring that it is passed down not only to our generation but also to the next, and that it continues to be handed down from one generation to the next.

　 　Kudos to Tu Youyou, China’s first female scientist to win the Nobel Prize—“As long as we persevere, our dreams can always come true.”

　 　Tu Youyou gives an interview at her home in Beijing (photographed on October 6, 2015). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li He.

　　Tu Youyou is a lifetime researcher at the China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, a recipient of China’s highest science and technology award, and a Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine. Her team discovered artemisinin, addressing the challenge of treatment failure in malaria. For more than six decades, she has devoted herself to the research and practice of traditional Chinese medicine, making outstanding contributions to global health.

　　Tu Youyou once said, “Artemisinin is but a small step in humanity’s fight against malaria, and a gift from traditional Chinese medicine to the world.”

　　In his 2016 New Year message, General Secretary Xi Jinping specifically mentioned Tu Youyou, noting that as long as we persevere, our dreams can always be realized. In September 2019, General Secretary Xi Jinping presented Tu Youyou with the “Republic Medal.”

　　Kudos to the sisters Zhuo Ga and Ceng Zong, who “herd livestock and guard the border”—“for decades, they have silently safeguarded our country’s territory, day in and day out.”

　　 Zhuoga (left) and Yangzong, two sisters, pose together (photographed on October 29, 2017). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Pubu Zhaxi.

　　Yumai Township in Longzi County, Tibet, lies at the southern foothills of the Himalayas, where steep mountains and treacherous roads have long kept it isolated. For much of the last century, Yumai was home to only one family—Sangjie Quzha and his two daughters, Zhuoga and Cenzong—earning it the nickname “the Township of Three People.” Over several decades, Sangjie Quzha and his daughters, Zhuoga and Cenzong, have carried on a generational commitment to stand firm in Yumai, safeguarding the nation’s border and writing a moving tale of patriotism and devotion to the frontier.

　　On the occasion of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, sisters Zhuo Ga and Ceng Zong wrote a letter to General Secretary Xi Jinping, sharing their experiences in safeguarding the country’s borders and the remarkable changes their hometown has undergone, and expressing their resolve to continue, together with their fellow villagers, to uphold their duties of herding and guarding the frontier, thereby repaying the Party’s kindness.

　　On October 28, 2017, General Secretary Xi Jinping replied to a letter from sisters Zhuoga and Cenzong, praising their admirable spirit and commending their exemplary deeds—“a father and his two daughters who, for decades, have silently safeguarded the motherland’s territory day in and day out.” He also extended his profound respect and heartfelt gratitude to them and to all comrades who have long been devoted and dedicated to defending and consolidating the borders.

　　On June 29, 2021, General Secretary Xi Jinping presented the “July 1 Medal” to Zhuo Ga.

　　 Kudos to Commander Zhang Runhong of “01” for her “small goal”—“I hope you can achieve it soon.”

　 　Zhang Runhong

　　“Mr. Chairman, I have another goal: to become my country’s first female ‘01’ commander.” On February 10, 2018, on the eve of the Spring Festival, General Secretary Xi Jinping visited a military base in Sichuan to extend his greetings and condolences to the officers and soldiers. Zhang Runhong, as a representative of the base’s scientific and technological personnel, was received by the General Secretary. In the command center, Zhang Runhong reported her “small goal” to the General Secretary.

　　Upon hearing Zhang Runhong’s report, General Secretary Xi Jinping expressed his approval: “As the commander of ‘01,’ you have shouldered such a significant scientific research mission—this is also a testament to the progress of women’s causes in our country. I also hope that you will achieve your goals at an early date.”

　　Today, Zhang Runhong has become China’s first female “01” commander in the space program. Together with her colleagues, she stands at the forefront of launch operations, leading the charge during high‑intensity mission schedules and issuing the resounding “Ignition” command that marks the start of China’s new chapter in space exploration.

　　 Praising Huang Wenshu, who “sings the song of youth in the new era”—“she has embodied the original aspiration and mission of a Communist Party member with her beautiful youth.”

　 　This is a work photo of Huang Wenshu taken during her lifetime (file photo). Xinhua News Agency.

　　“To live a meaningful life and to exist with value, one must not live solely for oneself; instead, one should use one’s own strength to contribute to the country, the nation, and society.” This was the resolute pledge written by Huang Wenshu, the first secretary of Baini Village in Xinhua Town, Leye County, Baise City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, in her application to join the Communist Party.

　　After graduating from Beijing Normal University with a master’s degree, Huang Wenshu resolutely returned to her hometown. She worked tirelessly on the front lines of poverty alleviation, helping 88 households—totaling 418 impoverished residents—lift themselves out of poverty and reducing the village’s poverty rate by more than 20 percent. In the early hours of June 17, 2019, while returning to Leye from Baise, Huang Wenshu was tragically swept away by a flash flood, sacrificing her young life at the age of just 30.

　　In 2019, General Secretary Xi Jinping issued important instructions on the exemplary deeds of Huang Wenshu, emphasizing that after graduating from graduate school, she gave up job opportunities in major cities and resolutely returned to her hometown. There, she devoted herself wholeheartedly to the frontline of poverty alleviation, dedicating her youth to this cause and embodying the original aspiration and mission of a Communist Party member, thus composing a song of youthful dedication for the new era.

　　On February 25, 2021, at the National Conference on Commending Achievements in Poverty Alleviation, General Secretary Xi Jinping once again singled out Huang Wenshu, praising her exemplary deeds of “returning to her hometown to dedicate herself and composing a song of youth for the new era.”

　　 Praising the Chinese women’s volleyball team for their “fearlessness in the face of strong opponents and their fearless, tenacious spirit”—they have “sounded the loudest call of our era: to strive for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”

　 　On September 29, 2019, the awards ceremony for the 13th Women’s Volleyball World Cup was held in Osaka, Japan. The Chinese team clinched the championship with an impressive streak of eleven consecutive victories. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Du Xiaoyi.

　　In September 2019, the Chinese women’s volleyball team defended their title at the 13th Women’s Volleyball World Cup in Japan with an undefeated record, claiming their tenth championship in the sport’s three major international tournaments.

　　“You were undaunted by formidable opponents, fought with courage and determination, and displayed both style and excellence. Even after clinching the championship a round early, you showed no sign of complacency in your final match—respecting your rivals, respecting yourselves, and striving to play every point to the best of your ability. In doing so, you truly embodied the Olympic spirit and the Chinese sporting ethos.” On September 30, 2019, General Secretary Xi Jinping specially invited representatives of the Chinese women’s volleyball team—players and coaches—to attend the reception celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Prior to the event, he warmly met with the volleyball team’s representatives, lavishing high praise on the Chinese women’s volleyball team and the “women’s volleyball spirit.”

　　General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that the spirit of the women’s volleyball team embodies the ethos of an era and resonates as the most powerful call to strive for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

　　Kudos to the women warriors of the fight against the epidemic—“dressed in white, wielding their battle gear, they charged forward against the tide”—who “have traded their sense of responsibility and dedication for the safety and well-being of our land and people.”

　　 Liu Jiayi

　　“At the most critical moment in China’s fight against the COVID‑19 pandemic, among the more than 40,000 medical workers who rushed from across the country to Hubei, two-thirds were women. One young nurse from Guangdong Province was not yet 20 years old. When a reporter asked her, ‘You’re still just a child—you still need others’ help,’ she replied, ‘Once I put on my protective suit, I’m no longer a child.’ This exchange moved the entire nation.” On October 1, 2020, General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important address via video link at the high‑level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Beijing World Conference on Women, where he warmly recounted the story of a young Chinese nurse born in the 2000s.

　　This young nurse, Liu Jiayi, is the youngest member of Guangdong Province’s medical aid team sent to Hubei, and she epitomizes the Chinese women who fought on all fronts during the battle against COVID‑19.

　　At the conference, General Secretary Xi Jinping warmly commended the countless Chinese women—medical and health workers, disease-control personnel, scientists and technologists, community workers, volunteers, and others—saying: “It is precisely tens of thousands of such Chinese women who, clad in white coats and armed with determination, have charged forward against the tide, embodying the compassionate heart of healers through courage and hard work, and safeguarding our land and people with their sense of responsibility and selfless dedication.”

　　Kudos to “Lantern‑Lighting Principal” Zhang Guimei—“Dedicated to education‑driven poverty alleviation, igniting hope for the girls of the mountainous region.”

　　 Zhang Guimei, Party branch secretary and principal of Huaping Women’s Senior High School in Lijiang, Yunnan, accompanies her students during their break-time exercises (photographed on September 9, 2022). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Jiang Wenyao.

　　“As long as I have a single breath left, I will stand at the podium, giving my all and dedicating everything—through nine deaths, I would still feel no regret.” On June 29, 2021, at the ceremony marking the awarding of the “July 1st Medal” to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, these heartfelt words were spoken by Zhang Guimei, Party Secretary and Principal of Huaping Women’s Senior High School in Lijiang, Yunnan Province, and Director of the Huaping County Children’s Welfare Institute. General Secretary Xi Jinping looked at her, his gaze warm and kind.

　　On February 25, 2021, at the National Conference Commending Achievements in Poverty Alleviation, General Secretary Xi Jinping bent down to solemnly present an award to Zhang Guimei, who was seated in a wheelchair. “Dedicated to education-driven poverty alleviation, igniting hope for girls in the mountains,” General Secretary Xi Jinping specifically highlighted Zhang Guimei in his important address, praising her exemplary deeds.

　　For decades, Zhang Guimei has devoted herself selflessly to education in impoverished mountainous areas. She founded the nation’s first free all‑girls’ high school, and since its establishment, more than 2,000 of its graduates have gone on to attend university. Zhang Guimei has been recognized by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and the Ministry of Education as a “National Role Model in Teaching and Educating.”