May 4, 2023 -- As China greets the May Day holiday, the first long holiday in 2023 after the seven-day Spring Festival holiday, many have taken the opportunity to relax or go on sightseeing trips. However, railroad engineer Sun Song has decided to remain at his post.

This is the eleventh May Day holiday that Sun has spent with his team of workers on the construction site of the Yuelongmen tunnel, a section of the Chengdu-Lanzhou Railway. Drilled through an area of extremely complex geological conditions, the tunnel was one of the hardest parts of the railway project, taking nearly 10 years to complete.

During the whole time, Sun and his colleagues made tremendous efforts to deal with unfavorable geological conditions like a seismic fracture zone and high ground temperatures. They are now preparing for the project's static acceptance, which brings them one step closer to the official opening.

"At this critical moment, we must ensure the safety and quality of the tunnel, to deliver a project that meets expectations and satisfies our conscience," said Sun.

China is observing International Workers' Day on Monday. It is a time when people honor diligent, hard-working people like Sun. To create better lives and promote the building of a modern socialist country in all respects, they devote themselves to their own professions and have achieved extraordinary results.

When it comes to work, all professions are equally honorable. Wang Dingye, a veteran farmer from northwest China's Gansu Province, knows this well. "The countryside is a wide stage, and rural vitalization has a promising future," said Wang.

Wang and his fellow villagers are busy preparing for the spring sowing of Chaotianjiao, a type of cone pepper. A couple of years ago, Wang established a farmer's specialized cooperative with the help of the local government. The business thrived, introducing standardized cultivation methods and a business mode that integrates production and selling.

According to Wang, in 2022, the cooperative generated a total income of about 8 million yuan ($1.2 million). "I will continue developing the business of local products and break new ground for rural vitalization," he said.

China's development cannot be accomplished without the efforts of hundreds of millions of working people. As the country celebrates the May Day holiday, people are holding activities to pay homage to them in different parts of the country.

In Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, a special ceremony was held at a park designed to promote public awareness of the Constitution. Workers who built the park were invited to the national flag-raising ceremony and given exclusive tours around the park.

"We hold such elaborate ceremonies for the park builders to express our respect for working people in a tangible manner, enabling the general public to feel the glory and value of work," said Wang Limin, spokesperson for the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of Nanjing.

Last Thursday, a meeting to celebrate International Workers' Day and honor outstanding working individuals and groups nationwide was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Yin Xinmin, a doctor at the provincial people's hospital in central China's Hunan Province, was presented with the May Day labor medal.

During his 34-year career in medicine, Yin has employed his exquisite skills to treat tens of thousands of patients. He regarded the award as an inspiration to front-line medical staff and a recognition of the dedication of working people.

Aside from presenting awards to model workers across the nation, China has been taking a series of measures to ensure the well-being of its working people and protect their rights.

In 2021, the country issued a guideline to step up the protection of the rights and interests of workers engaged in new forms of employment, such as online car-hailing drivers and internet marketing specialists.

A special campaign will also be launched to rectify order in the human resources market, crack down on unlawful activities such as illegal intermediary agencies and false recruitment, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of workers, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security announced last Thursday.