China will remember heroic act of late Australian police officer: spokesperson

BEIJING, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- The heroic act of Australian police officer Kelly Foster, who sacrificed her life to save a Chinese citizen, will be remembered by the Chinese people, and there should be no doubt concerning the friendly sentiment between the Chinese and Australian peoples, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said at a daily press briefing on Friday.

The Chinese embassy in Australia held a ceremony on Thursday to award the Great Wall Commemorative Medal to Foster, honoring her selfless act. The medal, established by the Ministry of Public Security of China in December 2020, is awarded to foreign law enforcement personnel who have made outstanding contributions to protecting the safety of Chinese citizens.

The gold medal presented to Foster was the first to be awarded worldwide, spokesperson Wang Wenbin said.

Wang said that human nature does not distinguish between countries, nations or cultures, and Foster's righteous act has conveyed the kindness and amity of the Australian people toward the Chinese people. "Chinese people always cherish friendship and righteousness, we will always remember her heroic behavior."

"Facts have proved that the friendly sentiment between the Chinese and Australian peoples are beyond all doubt," Wang said, "The common aspirations of the two people are the direction of our efforts."

Citing remarks from the foreign ministry last year concerning Foster, which noted that "the kindness and sincerity of human nature shine even in the harsh winter," Wang expressed the hope that this beam of light would continue to bring warmth to the two peoples and nourish their friendship.