File photo of Zhong Nanshan (Photos: Xinhua)

In Wuhan, the megacity once hit-hard by the novel coronavirus, schools opened their doors Tuesday to welcome about 1,4 million students. Aiming to encourage students returning to school, Zhong Nanshan sent a message of wishes to them.

Zhong Nanshan, China's renowned respiratory disease and epidemiology specialist, is a top expert of the National Health Commission. Zhong has been playing a leading role in the fight against COVID-19 since the early stages of the epidemic.

Students take part in the opening ceremony of a new semester at Wuhan High School in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province. 

As a sign of hope for returning students, Zhong Nanshan sent blessings to them:

Hello, students of Wuhan!

I was so happy to be able to see everyone back in the classroom! It shows that if the whole country is united, we can overcome even the greatest difficulties.

Remember in January I said that Wuhan is a heroic city and the people of Wuhan are all heroes too! The future is yours, I hope you can cherish this hard-won happy life and environment, with knowledge as your armor, continue to write a better future of this heroic city!

Most students in Wuhan have been taking online classes since January as schools remain shuttered to curb the spread of the virus. The city emerged from a citywide lockdown on April 8 and has reported no new domestic cases since mid-May. Recently students in Wuhan began returning to campus for the autumn semester earlier this week in staggered time slots.

(Compiled by Zhang Qinghe)