President Xi Jinping extended sincere greetings to the country's workers of all ethnic groups on Thursday, encouraging them to contribute more to combating COVID-19 as well as promoting economic and social development through their hard work.

Xi made the remark when writing back to the staff of a service-oriented private company in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province, ahead of International Labor Day, which falls on Friday.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that the employees of Yuanfang Group, guided by the company's Party committee, have been committed to their posts as cleaners and doormen since the start of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Many of them voluntarily asked to be sent to hospitals in Wuhan to provide assistance in the country's hardest-hit region, he said, praising their contributions for fighting the virus with actual deeds.

Faced with the sudden outbreak, millions upon millions of workers in China, from front-line medical workers to those participating in epidemic prevention of all sorts, from sanitation workers to delivery workers and those who produce epidemic prevention materials, have poured their efforts into fulfilling their tasks and remaining quietly dedicated, Xi said.

Noting that greatness and heroes come from the ordinary people, Xi encouraged the country's working people to maintain firm determination, stay motivated, overcome difficulties and continue to do extraordinary work in their positions.

Among the 60,000 employees of Yuanfang Group, there are more than 500 Party members. Recently, Xue Rong, the company's Party secretary and also a delegate of the 19th CPC National Congress, wrote a letter on behalf of the staff to report to Xi how they have stuck to their jobs and actively participated in epidemic prevention work.

They also expressed their resolution to share responsibility and overcome the current difficulties in the country.

By MO JINGXI