Gao Ruida holds his blood donation certificates. [Photo provided to gojilin.gov.cn]

Gao Ruida, a police officer at the border management detachment of Baishan, Northeast China's Jilin province, has been an active blood donor for the past 20 years, saving the lives of 19 people, according to local media reports.

Gao has rare type O and rhesus negative (Rh-) blood. The blood type is known as "panda blood" in China, which, as the phrase suggests, is "as rare as pandas".

A medical staff member performs a blood test on Gao Ruida. [Photo provided to gojilin.gov.cn]

During the 20 years from 2003 to 2022, he donated blood 37 times – a total of 7,400 milliliters.

In 2015, he established the "Baishan Rare Blood Type Association" and "Jilin Rare Blood Type Public Welfare Mutual Aid Group", and has so far recruited more than 600 members across the province, giving more hope to patients with rare blood types.

Gao Ruida donates 400 ml of whole blood to a student surnamed Zhao. [Photo provided to gojilin.gov.cn]