BEIJING, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday signed a presidential order awarding four persons the national medal and honorary title for their outstanding contribution to 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.

The Medal of the Republic was conferred on renowned respiratory disease expert Zhong Nanshan.

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.

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

The decision was made to commend people who have made outstanding contribution in the fight, and carry forward their loyalty and dedication and other noble qualities.

Presenting to these people the nation's top honor aims 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.