BEIJING, June 29 (Xinhua) - Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, presented the July 1 Medal to outstanding CPC members at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Tuesday morning.

Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, conferred the medals on the awardees, and shook hands and had photos with them.

A group of children, who are members of the Chinese Young Pioneers, presented flowers to the medal recipients.

Zhang Guimei, principal of a senior high school that offers free education to girls from impoverished families, spoke at the ceremony on behalf of the awardees.

[caption id="attachment_58719" align="alignnone" width="720"] (210629) -- BEIJING, June 29, 2021 (Xinhua) -- A motorcade takes Memetjan Wumer (front), Zhang Guimei (1st L) and Wu Tianyi (1st R) to the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, June 29, 2021. The awarding ceremony of the July 1 Medal started on Tuesday morning at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)[/caption] [caption id="attachment_58720" align="alignnone" width="720"] (210629) -- BEIJING, June 29, 2021 (Xinhua) -- Zhang Guimei waves to children upon her arrival at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, June 29, 2021. A ceremony is about to be held Tuesday morning to award the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Communist Party of China (CPC), to outstanding Party members for the first time. The ceremony will be held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)[/caption] [caption id="attachment_58723" align="alignnone" width="720"] (210629) -- BEIJING, June 29, 2021 (Xinhua) -- A recipient of the July 1 Medal arrives at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, June 29, 2021. A ceremony is about to be held Tuesday morning to award the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Communist Party of China (CPC), to outstanding Party members for the first time. The ceremony will be held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)[/caption] [caption id="attachment_58721" align="alignnone" width="720"] (210629) -- BEIJING, June 29, 2021 (Xinhua) -- A recipient of the July 1 Medal arrives at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, June 29, 2021. A ceremony is about to be held Tuesday morning to award the July 1 Medal, the highest honor in the Communist Party of China (CPC), to outstanding Party members for the first time. The ceremony will be held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)[/caption] [caption id="attachment_58718" align="alignnone" width="720"] (210629) -- BEIJING, June 29, 2021 (Xinhua) -- Huang Baomei arrives at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, June 29, 2021. The awarding ceremony of the July 1 Medal was held on Tuesday morning at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)[/caption]