50 foreigners win Friendship Award

Fifty foreign experts from 21 countries have received this year's Friendship Award - China's highest honor granted to a foreigner - for their contribution to the nation's development.

Vice-Premier Ma Kai conferred medals on the winners at an award ceremony on Friday in Beijing. He said that since late 2012, 3.35 million foreign experts have come to work in China, and they have played an active role in building a more modern China.

Ma said China will adopt more open and effective policies to attract foreign talent, support foreign experts to participate in China's scientific research and safeguard their legitimate rights and interests. More rigorous efforts will be made to lure talent that China urgently needs, he added.