China Names 8 Nominees for July 1 Medal, Party’s Top Honor
China has publicly announced the nomination list for the “July 1 Medal” (七一勋章), the highest honor awarded by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), marking the second time the prestigious medal will be conferred. The list of eight nominees was published on June 1 by People’s Daily, the official CCP newspaper, with a public comment period running through June 5.
Background: A Medal for the Party’s Centenary
The July 1 Medal was established as part of China’s national honors system and first awarded on June 29, 2021, during celebrations for the CCP’s 100th anniversary, when 29 individuals received the honor. This year’s awarding coincides with the Party’s 105th anniversary on July 1, 2026. The nomination process involved submissions from provincial-level Party committees, central departments, and the Central Military Commission, followed by preliminary review, investigation, and deliberation, according to the official announcement.
The Eight Nominees
The eight nominees represent a diverse cross-section of Chinese society, spanning grassroots governance, military service, village development, healthcare, science and engineering, and agriculture. Listed in stroke order of their surnames, they are:
Ma Shanxiang (马善祥), 69, a Hui ethnic grassroots mediator from Chongqing with over 30 years of experience resolving more than 2,500 disputes and serving 20,000 residents. He developed the “Old Ma’s 36 Strategies” community work methodology and is a former National People’s Congress deputy.
Wang Yuchang (王於昌), 90, a Han military veteran from Anhui who shot down two U-2 spy planes during his service and later worked humbly in retail after retiring from the military. He was received by Chairman Mao Zedong and holds the title of National Model Veteran.
Li Liancheng (李连成), 74, a Han village Party secretary from Henan who transformed his impoverished village into a national model through a collective economic model. He has trained over 100,000 rural cadres and served as a delegate to multiple Party congresses.
Wuhasi Sulaiman (吾哈斯·苏来曼), 70, a Kazakh doctor from Xinjiang who has traveled over 200,000 kilometers on medical rounds in remote pastoral areas, treating more than 100,000 patients and delivering over 3,200 babies. He received the National Ethnic Unity Model award.
Wu Yaqin (吴亚琴), 65, a Han community governance pioneer from Jilin with 30 years of experience in grassroots administration. She developed the “Four-Step Deliberation” method for community governance and has trained nearly 30,000 grassroots cadres.
Chen Junwu (陈俊武), who passed away in May 2024 at age 99, was a Han petrochemical engineer from Fujian who designed China’s first fluid catalytic cracking unit and solved the coal-to-olefins challenge. He was a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Zhao Yawei (赵亚夫), 85, a Han agricultural development expert from Jiangsu who spent over 60 years promoting new farming techniques across more than 233,000 hectares, helping farmers increase their income by over 300 billion yuan. He was honored as a National Poverty Alleviation Model.
Zhong Jue (钟掘), 89, a Han professor at Central South University and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering who solved high-performance aluminum rolling challenges, advancing China’s aluminum processing technology to world-leading levels. She served from the “1st Five-Year Plan” to the “15th Five-Year Plan.”
Analysis: Selectivity and Symbolism
The reduction from 29 recipients in 2021 to just 8 nominees this year suggests a more selective process that may elevate the prestige of the award, as CCTV commentary via Phoenix News described the nominees as “ordinary heroes who stand firm in their posts and make silent contributions.” The nominees include two ethnic minorities (Ma Shanxiang, Hui; Wuhasi Sulaiman, Kazakh) and two women (Wu Yaqin and Zhong Jue), reflecting the Party’s emphasis on ethnic unity and gender representation.
The geographic spread covers eastern, central, western, and northwestern regions, while the sectors represented — grassroots governance, military, healthcare, science, and agriculture — align with the Party’s narrative of building a “moderately prosperous society” through contributions at every level of society.
What’s Next
The public comment period closes on June 5, after which the final list is expected to be confirmed. The formal awarding ceremony is anticipated around July 1, 2026, the 105th anniversary of the CCP’s founding. It remains to be seen whether all eight nominees will receive the medal or if the list is subject to revision based on public feedback.
Sources: People’s Daily (original announcement), CCTV via Phoenix News (commentary and analysis), 21 Economic Net (full text republication), Hunan Daily/VOC (local coverage of nominee Zhong Jue).