The All-China Federation of Trade Unions held a ceremony in Beijing on Tuesday to honor outstanding workers and groups. A total of 379 groups received May Day Labor Certificates of Merit, 1,462 individuals received May Day Labor Medals, and 1,183 teams received the title of National Worker Pioneer.

This year, the medals were primarily awarded to frontline employees: 962 honorees are industrial workers, technical specialists, and other on-the-ground staff — nearly two-thirds of the total. Workers in new forms of employment, such as couriers, also made up a significant share. Chi Chunchun, a courier and May Day Labor Medal recipient, said the award made him realize that he too can strive for excellence and make a living through his work.

Among the National Worker Pioneer recipients, 922 are teams or units — more than three-quarters of the total. Zhang Xinping, a researcher and awardee, noted that his team will continue research on intelligent train operation and maintenance, deploy large AI models, and help the country improve efficiency in intelligent manufacturing.

This year's medals were mainly awarded to workers in key areas of the 14th and 15th Five-Year Plans: renewable energy, integrated circuits, artificial intelligence, and quantum communication. The awardees represent 19 industries. The number of honorees from the non-state sector and among ethnic minorities has increased. Ma Zhigang, another recipient, stated that during the 15th Five-Year Plan he will focus on intelligent mine operation, low-carbon development, and safety, in order to contribute to enterprise transformation and the creation of green mines.