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Government Honors 50 Experts
Legal protection of intellectual property rights and other vested interests of foreign professionals will be further strengthened as Beijing seeks expert help to improve its economy in the countdown to entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Premier Zhu Rongji made the remarks yesterday when meeting with foreign experts winning the annual Friendship Award.
Vice-Premier Qian Qichen said on Saturday that the legal upgrades will make sure a full display of foreign expertise to facilitate the country's economic and cultural exchanges with the global community.
Qian's remark was delivered at the annual Friendship Award ceremony, the top official honour for foreign professionals in China to mark their contribution to economic and social advancement in China.
A total of 50 foreign experts from 17 nations such as the United States, Russia, Japan and Israel were rewarded. The laurel is crafted by the State Council - China's cabinet.
Qian's commitment has set the tone for foreign workers like James Shideler, senior director of Hangzhou MSD Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd - a Sino-US joint venture in East China - in charge of operations in China and the Republic of Korea.
"That message is really impressive as it has run into foreign expert's key concern," said Shideler, one of the award winners.
"If China wants to become a major player in the world economy, it must establish intellectual property rights, and resolve legal issues to world standards."
Tens of thousands of foreign skilled professionals have become engaged in projects related to agriculture, manufacturing, environmental protection, biomedicine, human resources and business management nationwide in past decades.
China has been working hard to revise its legal framework in line with rules and practices required by the WTO. The nation is expected to be admitted by the global trade club this November.
Wan Xueyuan, director of the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA), said earlier this year that a spate of international seminars and exchanges have led foreign experts to train Chinese officials and entrepreneurs to get acquainted with WTO rules this year.
Stephen T. Meldrum, a Briton working for China Ping An Insurance Company, said entry into the WTO will create an even more open economy and Chinese skills will need to be further upgraded in order to compete.
"Foreign experts can help transform (China's) river crossing from a hesitant stepping from stone to stone to a bold crossing by bridge," said Stephen.
As well as learning about the WTO, more foreign professionals are encouraged to work in the vast western region and improve technological renovation, upgrade management know-how and hone working skills in the interior belt since China kicked off the "go-west" campaign last year.
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