Immigration police proud to serve on the front line. Yang Zekun reports.

Officers from the Aranbaotai guard post at the immigration police station in Teznap, a township in Kashgar prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, ride yaks as they patrol the China-Tajikistan border in December. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

For some immigration police officers, the toughest part of the COVID-19 epidemic is not the hectic work schedule or the greater risk of becoming infected.

Instead, not being around for important occasions while their children are growing up is the main problem. Despite that, they said they are sure they will never find a job that will make them more proud.

Shi Moran, who has worked for the entry-exit border inspection station at a major airport in Qingdao, Shandong province, for 16 years, said sacrificing family time is challenging, but her dedication to work during the epidemic is one of the most satisfying aspects of the job.

"The schedule makes it hard for us to spend time with our families. In June, we started working 24-hour call rotas, seven days in a row. After, we are quarantined at a designated hotel for another seven days, and then we stay home for seven days," the 40-year-old said.

She added that her husband shoulders most of the responsibility for taking care of their children while she is at work, and their parents also provide assistance.

"It often hits me when I video chat with my children and realize that I have missed some important moments during their childhoods. During holidays such as Spring Festival－a time for family reunions－it can be tough for many of us immigration officers when we finish work at about 4 am and think of our families," Shi said.

"However, it makes me proud when I think about how our work is important for border security and protecting people from possible infection. For me, it is an honor to be a part of a group that contributes to ensuring national safety during the epidemic."

Shi's main tasks involve verifying that the information provided by people entering the country via Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport matches their documentation, checking information given by crew members on cargo aircraft and conducting goods inspections.

An officer checks cross-border trucks at the Shenzhen Bay Port inspection station in Guangdong province, which started 24-hour cargo customs checks in December 2020. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Strict procedures

The procedures are strict, as each inbound person needs to provide necessary information, including telephone numbers and addresses, which increases the workload.

The work environment is also challenging. The officers must be well-prepared and arrive at their checkpoint 40 minutes before each flight lands, then spend four to five hours checking every plane.

"During summer, the temperature on the apron is about 40 to 50 C, and it can be extremely hot in our protective suits. In winter, the temperature is about -20 C, but we still sweat in the suits. It is very uncomfortable when we take them off and are exposed to the cold weather while still sweating," Shi said.

After each shift, she and her colleagues undergo a number of disinfectant procedures.

"We are at risk when we interact with passengers. Some of those we check, who show no symptoms of infection, may test positive during their quarantine period. Sometimes, we need to conduct face-to-face checks on passengers who have a fever before sending them to the hospital for tests," she said.

Shi added she was often touched when passengers who had been overseas for a long time said they had returned safely to meet with their families for Spring Festival. It made her feel that her hard work had been worthwhile.

"I can see the passengers' trust in China from the expressions on the faces of both Chinese and foreign visitors entering the airport. At that moment, I feel so proud to be Chinese. More importantly, I feel a greater obligation to devote myself to my work as we are the first group of people that passengers meet when they enter China. I want them to have a good impression," she said.

Officers from the Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport exit-entry team prepare to inspect a cargo plane on Jan 1. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Combined efforts

In 2011, He Xiao joined the immigration police force in Shenzhen, Guangdong province.

The 33-year-old is mainly responsible for inspecting the entry and exit documents of passengers at Shenzhen Bay Port, which is close to Hong Kong. In September, she started a pattern of seven-day shifts, followed by seven days of quarantine.

Passenger clearance operations at the port run from 10 am to 10 pm, while cargo clearance is conducted 24 hours a day. As her husband works overseas, He has to balance her busy work schedule with family duties, spending almost all her free time taking care of her two children and elderly parents. Despite that, she still feels she is not doing enough.

In January 2020, when COVID-19 started to spread, she was enjoying the Spring Festival holiday in her hometown in Hunan province.

However, on the second day of the break, she received a call from the border inspection station recalling her to her post.

The following day, He's husband drove her, their children and her parents on the 900-kilometer trip back to Shenzhen.

"During the journey, I noticed that all the staff members at every highway checking station were wearing protective suits to take people's temperatures. That's when I realized how serious and dangerous the outbreak was," He said.

"Frankly, I was quite afraid at the time, but my family's strong support gave me the courage to face it. My colleagues also overcame difficulties and arrived at their posts on time, so I was not fighting alone."

Before the epidemic, the port handled an average 133,000 passengers a day, and the officers checked nearly 13,000 vehicles.

The numbers rose every year as a result of a series of measures launched by the National Immigration Administration.

There has been a sharp decline in numbers since the COVID-19 outbreak. Shenzhen Bay is the only land port offering customs clearance for passengers in Shenzhen and Hong Kong. In addition to passenger checks, He has to inspect vehicles that pass through the port.

"I wear my protective suit for five or six hours without eating, drinking or going to the bathroom, while inspecting passengers. At first, I didn't think much about the risk of becoming infected because our job is to ensure the security of the border area while protecting ourselves," she said.

Family ties

He's husband has been working in Bangkok, Thailand, since 2020, and they have often been separated for long periods because of the pandemic.

"My husband has only returned twice during the past two years. In December 2020, when he first returned and used the port where I work, I was fully covered by protective gear, but he recognized me immediately. He suddenly appeared in front of me and said, 'Dear, thanks for all your hard work.' Although I was full of anxiety at the time, it vanished into thin air when I heard his voice," He said.

"We shoulder great responsibilities to ensure border security. From wearing this uniform, I have come to understand that it is worth sacrificing my family time to ensure safe reunions for other families."

He had to work during the Spring Festival holiday, so she could only send New Year greetings to her family via her smartphone.

When her husband, who works for a telecoms company, was in Thailand during Spring Festival last year, he wrote her a letter.

It included the words: "All the difficulties and pressures will only make us more united and stronger. At this moment, we are like a pair of warriors fighting side by side. I fight the battle in smart technology and you stand firm at the port in the fight against the epidemic."

Contact the writer at yangzekun@chinadaily.com.cn