Editor's note: Today marks China's May Fourth Youth Day, and it is also Peking University's 125 anniversary. On this special occassion, let's meet Wu Chao, a young doctor from Peking University Third Hospital who helped in Wuhan throughout the pandemic.

It's another busy day for Doctor Wu Chao.

From outpatients and the emergency department to surgery, his daily work is anything but monotonous.

He's one of the youngest neurosurgeons at Peking University Third Hospital, and Wu was among tens of thousands of medics who fought against COVID-19 in Wuhan back in 2020.

At the time, many of the patients he received were critically ill.

WU CHAO Neurosurgeon, Peking University Third Hospital "At first, as a young doctor, I was not very confident as to whether I was competent enough for the task. But as we started to work, I found that I could shoulder the responsibility, and in the end I did a good job."

On March 10, 2020, Wu Chao and his colleague Wang Ben wrote a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping on behalf of all the 34 young medics born after 1990 from Peking University working in Wuhan.

They told President Xi the young generation would not flinch from difficulties and that they'd become the backbone of the nation.

Praising their efforts in containing the virus, President Xi replied to their letter and said they'd shown that today's youth in China could be entrusted with overcoming great challenges.

Xi said a nation can remain hopeful and have a brilliant future when its younger generations have ideals, ability, and a strong sense of responsibility.

WU CHAO Neurosurgeon, Peking University Third Hospital "His words gave us great recognition. We felt so encouraged. To be honest, before I went to Wuhan in 2020, I didn't really think deeply about my career. But after that experience and all the three years of arduous work to combat COVID, I now have a more profound understanding of being a doctor."

Wu says doctors like him are often confronted with life and death situations, so there's no room for carelessness.

Working at one of China's best hospitals, Wu has a promising future ahead.

The coronavirus will not be the last pandemic humanity faces, but he says he and his colleagues will do their best to overcome any challenges in future.

HUANG YUE Beijing "Over a quarter of the 42,000 medical workers who went to Hubei Province in response to the outbreak of the COVID pandemic three years ago were born after 1990. As Doctor Wu Chao says, each generation has its own mission and task. Growing up in a rapidly developing China, young people are embracing more opportunities and shouldering more responsibility. 

This story originally appeared in CGTN with the headline "The Core Issue: Meet the young doctor who played a key role in overcoming Wuhan's COVID-19 outbreak."