Newly recruited nurses take an oath during a capping ceremony at Peking University People's Hospital in Beijing, capital of China, April 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei)

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, has sent greetings to nurses across the country ahead of International Nurses Day, which falls on May 12.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, a vast number of nurses threw themselves into the battle without hesitation and proved worthy of the great trust placed in them, said Xi.

They bravely marched to the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19 at home and abroad, demonstrating the noble spirit of respecting and protecting life, healing the wounded and rescuing the dying, and being dedicated to the cause, Xi noted.

A nurse collects swab sample for a patient in the Fourth People's Hospital of Sichuan in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, May 8, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Mengxin)

Nursing is an important part of health care, Xi said, asking Party committees and governments at all levels to care about nurses, focus more efforts on strengthening the nursing workforce, and improve the incentive mechanisms.

Xi expressed the hope that nurses will pass on the fine traditions, promote the humanitarian spirit and make further contributions to China's health care development and global public health.