China has conferred an honorary title of "heroic loyal guard" on Ding Xiaobing, the one-armed colonel of the People's Armed Police .

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Chairman of Central Military Commission (CMC) Hu Jintao jointly signed an order recently to confer the honorary title on Ding.

The forty-one-year old colonel joined the army in 1983 and lost his right arm on duty in 1984. For over twenty years, Ding has devoted to national defense and summed up 100-plus methods of administering the armed police.

He has always shown his concern and care for soldiers and donated over 50,000 yuan (US$6,250) to help needy soldiers.

The State Council and the CMC called on all the police, the People's Armed Police and the armed forces to learn from Ding's heroic deeds so as to make contribution to the establishment of a harmonious socialist society.

(Xinhua News Agency December 21, 2006)