Fearless fighter pilot's iron will leads to success
In the eyes of his comrades, Senior Colonel Hao Jingwen, the commander of a People's Liberation Army Air Force brigade, is "the first person to eat the crab" - a Chinese metaphor for someone adventurous enough to try risky new things.
It's a fitting description for Hao, who led Chinese warplanes on a trailblazing classified mission in 2017. In a warfare exercise in 2014 he achieved another first for the Air Force, successfully penetrating defenses for the first time at a very low altitude during nighttime. And in 2016 he practiced air-to-air refueling at a record altitude for the Air Force.
Since starting out as an entry-level pilot in 1998, Hao has never stopped exploring new tactics or pushing weaponry to the limit. He was awarded the title of "role model of our time" on Friday for his commitment to safeguarding the nation's sovereignty.
