Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met with foreign experts honored 2005 Friendship Awards and their families at the Great Hall of People in Beijing, September 30, 2005.

Fifty foreign experts from 21 countries were honored Friendship Awards Friday in Beijing by the Chinese government for their outstanding performances in China.

"On behalf of the Chinese government and the Chinese people, I'd like to extend my warmest congratulations to you and express my thanks to your outstanding contributions to China's modernization course," Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said in a meeting with the experts and their families.

Wen also took the opportunity to express his greetings to all the foreign experts and international friends working in China.

"To achieve the goal of modernization, China has to open up to the world and borrow the fruits of all civilizations of human being," Wen said.

He reiterated that to introduce foreign intellectuals and talents to China is a long-term policy of the Chinese government.

"The Chinese government will take active measures to improve exchanges and cooperation with international talents in broad fields," Wen said.

The Friendship Award, which was set up in 1991, is the highest award the Chinese government confers to the foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to China's economic and social progress.

So far, a total of 850 foreign experts from 55 countries have been conferred the award.

After the meeting, Wen invited the experts and their families to attend the grand reception held by the Chinese government to mark the 56th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, which falls on Saturday.

Source: Xinhua