Woman who gave life to protect Japanese in knife attack honored with national bravery award

A total of 48 people who acted bravely were awarded by the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission the title of "bravery models." Hu Youping, a resident in East China's Suzhou who lost her life after attempting to stop a knife attack that injured two Japanese nationals in Suzhou, was among the list.

Based on the comprehensive evaluation of social media trends and recommendations from various regions and units, 48 who acted bravely and selflessly were honored on the list, according to the commission.

Among the listed bravery models are typical examples such as Liu Hao, Hu Youping, and Cheng Chunting, who bravely fought against illegal and criminal activities and typical examples such as Wang Long and Zhu Ruxin, who lost their precious lives in the process of rescuing others.

They showed extraordinary courage in the face of danger, some were seriously injured, some made the ultimate sacrifice, using their blood and lives to demonstrate heroic acts of selflessness.

Their brave actions have been promptly recognized and rewarded through the important exemplary selection mechanism of local regions and units, attracting widespread attention from all sectors of society.

Their actions have frequently ranked the top trendy topics on social media. Many of their heroic deeds have garnered 500 million views, with Wang Long and Hu Youping's deeds receiving over 1.3 billion views.

Hu Youping previously was awarded the title of "Suzhou City Model of Bravery." Hu, 54, tried to stop an assailant attacking a bus used by a Japanese school at a bus stop in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province, on June 24. She was stabbed multiple times by the attacker and tragically passed away despite rescue efforts.

Netizens have left messages expressing their admiration for these bravery, deeply inspiring a resonance and admiration for bravery, kindness, and justice within people's hearts.

Acting bravely and selflessly is the mainstream value of Chinese society and a heroic quality that the Chinese people collectively admire, the commission said.

The selection of bravery model award is organized by the commission and hosted by the China Foundation for Bravery. Since September 2022, the list has been released seven times, with a total of 388 being honored.