Chinese President Xi Jinping invited all the members of the “China Civil Aviation Hero Crew” of Sichuan Airlines to a reception celebrating the 69th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. On the afternoon of September 30, Xi met with the members of the crew ahead of the reception in the Great Hall of the People and took group photos with them.

At about 5 pm, nine members of the crew walked into the Great Hall of the People and were received by President Xi Jinping. Xi shook hands with every one of them and talked with them cordially. Xi said that it was delightful to meet them on the 69th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. On May 14, the airliner of Sichuan Airlines carrying 119 passengers made an emergency landing after the cockpit window broke and loss of pressure in the passenger cabin and ensured the safety of all the passengers. Xi indicated that it was truly a heroic deed that touched the hearts of millions and he was proud of them. He believed that the glorious title of "China Civil Aviation Hero Crew" and "Hero Captain" is well deserved.

Xi emphasized that the expert emergency landing of 5·14 incident was not by chance. Every judgment, decision, and action they made were correct and strictly followed the procedures. The calm and courageous attitude came from their strong sense of responsibility, commitment and professional skills in everyday work. They are indeed outstanding representatives of the civil aviation workforce. Xi called on the whole of society to learn from their heroic deeds, particularly their loyalty and accountability, political integrity and professional ethics.

Xi pointed out that greatness and heroes come from ordinary people, and it is great to do all the work well. The great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era requires thousands of heroes. Learning and promoting heroic deeds means to carry out heroic spirit in ordinary jobs and to be responsible for people's lives. Civil aviation flight, year in and year out, seems ordinary, but it is actually a great challenge to ensure the safety of every flight. Xi encouraged them to continue to work hard, and to ensure the safety of every flight.

Xi also stressed that safety is the lifeline of civil aviation, and we should be careful in all the links. The civil aviation authorities, local governments and relevant enterprises must put people first, and to strike a balance between safety and development, as well as safety and efficiency, with safety as a top priority. It is also necessary to intensify the identification and rectification of hidden hazards, to improve the risk prevention and control system, to strengthen the oversight mechanism, to consolidate team capacity building, and to make sure that everyone is accountable and thus ensure the safe and sound operation of civil aviation.

The "China Civil Aviation Hero Crew" includes captain Liu Chuanjian, co-pilot Liang Peng, second officer Xu Ruichen, cabin crew members Bi Nan, Zhang Qiuyi, Yang Ting, Huang Ting, Zhou Yanwen and in-flight security officer Wu Shiyi. To commend their successful handling of the incident, crew members of Sichuan Airlines Flight 3U8633 were awarded the title of "China Civil Aviation Hero Crew " on June 8 by CAAC and Sichuan Provincial Government, and captain Liu Chuanjian was awarded the title of "Hero Captain".

All the crew members were excited to be received by President Xi. They expressed their resolve to bear in mind Xi’s instructions to adhere to the principles and concepts of safety first, passenger orientation, and cordial service, continue to practice their professional skills and be perseverant to protect the lives and property of the people.

Ding Xuexiang, Liu He and relevant officials of the Ministry of Transport and the CAAC attended the meeting.