Angels in white on the battlefront

They are not only the unsung heroines of China's vast medical system, they are also often the victims.

Nursing may be what a Western child aspires to when she is asked, "What do you want to do when you grow up?", but I'm not sure if Chinese parents encourage the same ambitions.

Nursing can be a dangerous job in China. Medical contingents were deployed to Africa, right to the heart of the Ebola crisis. Whenever China's allies and neighbors, and we have many, face earthquakes and other natural disasters, medical aid is the first support China offers.