Chinese premier says foreign talent important to China's innovation

BEIJING -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Sunday that foreign talent and intellectual resources was an important component of China's innovation system.

Li made the remarks when meeting at the Great Hall of the People with a group of foreign experts who had recently received the Friendship Award, given annually by the Chinese government to honor outstanding foreign experts in China.

He spoke highly of the important contributions made by foreign experts to promote China's economic and social development, and exchanges between China and foreign countries.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up, Li said. "China's determination to advance reform and opening-up will never change with the reform and opening-up being intensified," he said.

"China will further ease market access, implement just and fair supervision, guarantee fair competition of different ownership subjects, and work to create an open, transparent, stable and expectable market and law environment for domestic and foreign enterprises as well as all kinds of talent."