China honours 79 people for acts of bravery in third quarter, 13 of them died
In short
China's Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission released its list of people recognised for acts of bravery in the third quarter of 2026 in Beijing on October 9. Seventy-nine people were publicly commended and given rewards, 13 of whom died. More than 30 of them took part in rescues during flood-season natural disasters.
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The Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission released its list of people honoured for acts of bravery in the third quarter of 2026 in Beijing on October 9, Xinhua and China News Service reported. After a review based on how notable the deeds were, the attention they drew online and the confirmations and recommendations from local authorities, 79 people were publicly commended and given rewards. Thirteen of them died in the course of their actions. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
More than 30 of those listed took part in rescues during flood-season natural disasters. A CCTV News report carried by Jiemian said this was about 40% of the total, and that typhoons, heavy rain, rising rivers and landslides hit many parts of the country during the quarter. He Qizhong (何启忠) and Wei Yongqing (韦永庆) of Guangxi, Hou Kairong (侯开荣), He Guangxue (何光学) and Gong Baodong (龚宝冬) of Chongqing and Ma Changquan (马昌全) of Guizhou went door to door to warn residents and urge them to evacuate, and carried out rescues amid floodwater and collapses. He Qizhong, Wei Yongqing and Gong Baodong died; the CCTV report said they were swept away by floodwater and mud and rock. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
In Tibet, Bianma (边玛) went to a road blocked by a mudslide and drove a loader to clear it, but was struck by falling rocks and went off a cliff, dying. In Qingdao, Zhao Xinjun (赵新军) and his son Zhao Longlong (赵龙龙) rescued three people from the water within about a month; the CCTV report said the rescues took place in rough seas. The same report said Guo Huangpeng (郭黄鹏) of Fujian jumped into fast-flowing floodwater and brought an unconscious girl to shore. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Others on the list helped stop crimes. Anhui supermarket owner Fei Fangfang (费芳芳) helped police catch a telecom fraud gang, recovering more than 100,000 yuan for victims. In Yunnan, Sun Yichen (孙益辰), Feng Shipeng (丰诗鹏), Yan En (岩恩) and He Linfeng (何林枫) confronted a suspect who was attacking people with a knife, blocking him with stools and chasing him, and helped police stop the attack. The CCTV report also said Hebei University students Zhao Shu (赵纾) and Liu Chang (刘畅) joined police in chasing a theft suspect and helped subdue him. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
The CCTV report said 64 exemplary cases were released, and that the stories of people including Gong Baodong, Zhao Xinjun, Zhao Longlong and Ma Changquan drew high attention online. The list is organised by the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission and run by the Zhonghua Jianyiyongwei Foundation (中华见义勇为基金会). Since September 2022, 15 quarterly lists have been released, recognising 886 people. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The quarterly list is run by the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission and has recognised 886 people since September 2022. This quarter's list puts weight on residents who helped during floods and landslides and on people who helped police stop crimes.
Key facts
- The Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission released the third-quarter 2026 list in Beijing on October 9. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- 79 people were publicly commended and given rewards; 13 of them died in their acts of bravery. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- More than 30 of those listed took part in rescues during flood-season natural disasters, about 40% of the total, according to the CCTV News report carried by Jiemian. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- He Qizhong (何启忠) and Wei Yongqing (韦永庆) of Guangxi and Gong Baodong (龚宝冬) of Chongqing died while warning residents and helping them evacuate. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- In Tibet, Bianma (边玛) died after falling rocks sent him off a cliff while he was clearing a mudslide-blocked road with a loader. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Anhui supermarket owner Fei Fangfang (费芳芳) helped police catch a telecom fraud gang, recovering more than 100,000 yuan for victims. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- Since September 2022, 15 quarterly lists have been released, recognising 886 people in all. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission released the third-quarter 2026 list of people honoured for bravery in Beijing on October 9. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- 79 people were commended and rewarded, 13 of whom died. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- More than 30 of those listed took part in flood-season disaster rescues. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- He Qizhong, Wei Yongqing, Gong Baodong and Bianma died during disaster rescue work. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- 15 quarterly lists have recognised 886 people since September 2022. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- Who the other nine people who died were. The reports say 13 of those listed died but name only four of them.
- How the 64 exemplary cases relate to the 79 people listed. Only the CCTV report carried by Jiemian gives the figure of 64 cases and does not explain it.