Dedicated cardiovascular surgeon helps hearts beat

Cardiovascular expert Liu Xiaocheng received a nomination for the Ninth National Moral Model award in May, in recognition of his four-decade-long dedication to China's cardiovascular field. A member of the Communist Party of China, Liu has exemplified both the compassion of a doctor and the responsibility of a Party member throughout his career.

One of the first medical experts to return to China after studying abroad during the reform and opening-up, Liu left Beijing for Heilongjiang province in 1987 to help establish the second specialized cardiovascular hospital in China — the Mudanjiang Cardiovascular Disease Hospital.

There, he performed more than 3,000 heart surgeries for patients from 23 provinces.