On November 10, 2022, the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Kingdom of Belgium held a grand ceremony for the 2022 Chinese Government Friendship Award. Ambassador CAO Zhongming presented the Friendship Award certificates and medals to three Belgian experts, John Achiel Erauw, Jacques Crommen and Francois Serneels. Representatives of the experts' work units, the University of Ghent, the Belgian Royal Academy of Medicine and the Centre for Agronomy and Agro-Industry of the Province of Hainaut (CARAH), attended the ceremony. The Chinese partners, including TAO Kaiyuan (Vice President of the Supreme People's Court of China), SONG Xianzhong (President of Jinan University), and the representative of Yakeshi Senfeng Potato Industry Co., Ltd., sent their special congratulatory videos to the laureates.

Ambassador Cao delivered his high appreciation to the laureates for their outstanding contributions to promoting China-Belgium cooperation and friendship, extended his warm congratulations to them, and expressed his gratitude to all Belgian experts and friends who support China's development on behalf of the Chinese government and the Embassy in Belgium.

Ambassador Cao has expressed that the great achievements of China come first and foremost from the concerted efforts of the Chinese nation, but also from the wisdom and contributions of international friends and foreign experts. The accomplishment that three Belgian experts conferred the Chinese Government Friendship Award this year does benefit from the sound and steady growth of China-Belgium relations, the concerted efforts of Chinese and Belgian partners, and the professionalism and international vision in promoting innovation of the experts.

Ambassador Cao pointed out that China's development cannot be separated from the world, and China has also brought new opportunities and injected new momentum into the world. The Communist Party of China has just successfully held its 20th National Congress. Under the leadership of President XI Jinping, China has historically solved the problem of absolute poverty, built a moderately prosperous society in all respects, started a new journey to build a modern socialist country, and advanced toward the Second Centenary Goal. Standing at a new historical starting point, China will adhere to the fundamental national policy and unswervingly follow a win-win strategy of opening up, actively implement the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, and join hands with all peoples from the world to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

Ambassador Cao stressed that China will unswervingly pursue innovation-driven development and promote scientific achievements to benefit more countries and peoples. Having distinctive features respectively, China and Belgium would have great prospects and potential for development in terms of scientific and technological innovation. Finally, Ambassador Cao expressed his hope that the laureates could continue to make new and positive contributions to the promotion of exchanges and cooperation and the development of all-round friendly cooperative partnership between China and Belgium.

Congratulatory video from TAO Kaiyuan, Justice and Vice President of the Supreme People's Court of China

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*The original text is Chinese and has been translated into English for reference only. If there is any inconsistency or ambiguity between the Chinese version and the English version, the Chinese version shall prevail.