Sumayyah Hosany, a Mauritian doctor, decided to stay in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, in February while COVID-19 was rapidly spreading throughout China.

Together with her husband Hamad Abdul Zahir, a Pakistani doctor, she did all she could to help locals fight the epidemic.

"I'm really proud that I've got the chance to give back," Sumayyah said.

Sumayyah, 31, came to China at the age of 18. She studied at Wenzhou Medical University for eight years and obtained a master's degree in clinical medicine.

She and her husband now work at Panhealth Medical Center in Wenzhou. They volunteered at a highway checkpoint south of Wenzhou during the epidemic, checking travelers' IDs, taking their temperatures and inquiring about their travel history.

"We really want to do our part, no matter how small it is," Sumayyah said. "I worked with policemen, nurses, doctors from other hospitals, and people at the grassroots level. I felt a sense of connection and now I feel I'm more part of the culture and more part of the country."

"For me, as a Pakistani, since we were born, the only thing we know is the Pakistan-China friendship," Hamad said.

"Whenever we needed any kind of support, China was always standing with us and still is. All these things give warmth to your heart. So it's an honor, to be honest."