Premier Meets Friendship Award Winners

Premier Meets Friendship Award Winners

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Premier Zhu Rongji met in Beijing Sunday with a group of 50 foreign experts who have been given this year's Friendship Award by the Chinese government for their contributions to China's development.

He said that the Chinese government sincerely wants foreign personnel to participate in the country's economic construction in a variety of forms.

The government will further improve its legal system and the working conditions for these experts and protect their intellectual property rights and other legitimate rights and interests, the premier pledged.

He attributed China's progress to the correct leadership of the Communist Party of China, the efforts of all Chinese people, and the contributions made by these foreign experts.

On behalf of the Chinese government and people, the premier congratulated these foreign experts on winning the prize and thanked them for their contribution to China's economic and social development.

Since 1991, the Chinese government has granted the Friendship Award to 615 foreign experts from over 50 foreign nations.