PEOPLE’S HERO TITLES AWARDED

　　Zhang Dingyu， a 56-year-old doctor， became one of the three recipients of the national honorary title， the People’s Hero， on September 8 for his outstanding contributions to the fi ght against the novel coronavirus disease （COVID-19）. At a ceremony for medical professionals at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing， President Xi Jinping awarded four medical workers including Zhang for their outstanding achievement during the fi ght against COVID-19.
　　Zhang heads the Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital， one of the major battlefields during the epidemic. He and his colleagues have treated and saved more than 2，800 COVID-19 patients， many of whom were critically ill.
　　“I never thought about being a hero. Everyone has made sacrifi ces and contributions. I’m just one of them，” he said.
　　However， his contribution stands out. Zhang has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis （ALS）， a progressive degeneration of the nervous system that， it is feared， could eventually lead to absolute paralysis and death. He was diagnosed with ALS in 2018 but has never talked about his personal health problem when fi ghting the epidemic.

A Necessary Lull

　　Beijing Youth Daily September 5
　　Summer is the golden season for agricultural production. However， for fi shing， it is a period of moratorium.
　　Since 1995， a summer fi shing ban has been in place in the Bohai Sea and the East China Sea， which plays a signifi cant role in protecting fishery resources. The positive results made the Ministry of Agriculture in 1999 announced a fi shing ban in the South China Sea too since then.
　　Today， the ban covers all the sea areas under Chinese jurisdiction， extended from two months to three and a half or even four and a half months. Every year， the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs issues notices to clarify how long the ban is in different areas.
　　Millions of fishermen and over 100，000 fishing boats in coastal provinces follow the moratorium. Since the 1980s， excessive fi shing put tremendous pressure on fi shery resources though they are renewable. Therefore， from a long-term perspective， it is necessary to implement a summer fi shing moratorium.
　　Some provinces offer fi shermen subsidies during the off-season. For instance， Guangdong Province in south China subsidizes fi shery production costs.

Catch ’Em Young！

　　Guangming Daily September 7
　　A video posted on September 1 showed the vice principal of a primary school in Wuyuan， a city in east China’s Jiangxi Province， eating students’ food leftover in front of them as an example of stopping wasting food. It aroused heated discussion on the Internet.
　　Some said eating leftovers is unhealthy，especially in the time of preventing and controlling COVID-19. But some said the vice principal’s behavior would leave a deep impression on the children and inspire them not to waste food. Putting aside the debate whether it was an appropriate way， schools should play a crucial role in fostering good habits in young people.
　　One of China’s achievements has been ensuring food and clothing security for over 1 billion people. So people born after 1980 have barely experienced famine or food shortage.
　　However， along with social progress and material prosperity， young people should not lose awareness of the importance of not wasting food. Not wasting food is a tribute to the labor of those who produce food， contributes to national food security， and is also a traditional virtue.
　　Students spend most of their time on campus， including meal times. That makes schools a vital place to teach them not to waste food. A report issued by the Institute of Geographic Science and Natural Resources Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences shows that primary and middle school children are also the major wasters of food.
　　It requires teachers to take the lead and set an example for students. Also， canteens should improve their operation. For instance， Tsinghua University has launched a reward program for those who empty their plates. Students have to take a photo of their plates after their meals and if their dishes are certifi ed clean， they get points to win prizes. Hence， helping students develop good food habits is also a test of canteens’ fi ne management.

Internet Celebrity Doctors

　　Yangcheng Evening News September 5
　　Today， the Internet has become a channel for people to seek medical advice. On live-streaming platforms， some doctors and pharmacists have grown into celebrities， winning people’s trust. However， amid the promotion of medical science， there are some pretending to be experts who propagate quack remedies.
　　The therapies recommended by such charlatans can put patients at risk. For instance， if they prescribe hormone creams for skin problems for an extended period， while the symptoms may lessen in the short time， the abuse may worsen the condition in the long term. That can result in netizens beginning to distrust the profession as a whole， and also some platforms becoming a hub of unscientific medical information. 　　Today， more and more doctors are participating in science popularization through the Internet， providing high-quality medical videos. According to a report released by www.DXY.com， a health service website， 62 percent of doctors offer online services 15.2 hours a week. In addition to providing regular diagnosis at hospitals， they can also become Internet celebrities and a vital force enhancing communication between doctors and patients.
　　Therefore， it is urgent to protect the online medical science channels and ensure that people get guidance from real medical personnel， whose activities should be encouraged.
　　The platforms should also verify their doctors’identity. Otherwise， they bear joint liability for any adverse outcome.

YOUNG SCIENTIST WINS ALIBABA FINANCIAL SUPPORT

　　Zhao Baodan， a 29-year-old principal investigator at the College of Optical Science and Engineering， Zhejiang University in east China， has won a prestigious annual award founded by the Alibaba Group in 2017 for young Chinese scholars.
　　Zhao became an Alibaba Academy for Discovery， Adventure， Momentum and Outlook Young Fellow with nine other young scientists on September 9， an accolade for outstanding young scholars engaged in fundamental science and applied research with the potential to contribute signifi cantly to science and technology.
　　A Ph.D. in physics， Zhao is also a visiting researcher at the University of Cambridge. She explores energy loss in calcium and titanium materials and application of new semiconductor materials in optoelectronics that are more effi cient and environment friendly.
　　The award carries a purse of 1 million yuan （$146，400） and provides other support for research such as open data resources.
　　“China has no ambition to seek hegemony， much less to replace the United States. However， China will resolutely safeguard its sovereignty， security and development interests.”
　　Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi， at the China-ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting via video link on September 9
　　“If we were able to hand over an award for the best country in response to the coronavirus， China would have deserved the first， second， and third places due to its outstanding success.”
　　Ghanim Al-Hujailan， an infectious disease consultant at Al-Adan Hospital in Kuwait， to Xinhua News Agency on September 9
　　“China is a major global manufacturing powerhouse of electronic products， its demand for semiconductors has been growing steadily， and it has become a major driving force of the global semiconductor market.”
　　Gao Feng， Ministry of Commerce spokesperson， at a press conference on September 10
　　“From live-streaming sales to building lasting business relationships online to adopting and adapting new production technology， China is giving the rest of the world a glimpse of the future.”
　　Mark Wang， President and CEO of HSBC China， in an article in South China Morning Post on September 7