Medical staff of Wuhan No. 1 Hospital gesture to bid farewell to medics from Guangdong Province before their departure from Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 23, 2020. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

BEIJING, Aug. 18  -- Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, has sent greetings to medical workers across the country ahead of China's Medical Workers' Day.

Noting that medical workers are a vital force in advancing the cause of healthcare, Xi said since the COVID-19 outbreak, a great number of medical workers have raced against time and fought tenaciously against the virus at the frontlines.

They have made significant contributions in fighting the epidemic, and demonstrated the noble spirit of giving priority to saving lives with total devotion and ultimate love, Xi added.