EMPLOYERS in Shenzhen that hire foreign experts can nominate their employees for the China Friendship Awards for the year 2017 at the Shenzhen Municipal Foreign Experts Affairs Administration before the deadline March 1.

    The China Friendship Awards are the highest honor for recognizing a foreigner’s outstanding achievements and dedication to China’s development and construction in the fields of economy, technology, education and culture as well as personnel cultivation.

    The awards are conferred as part of China’s National Day celebrations.

    Foreign scientists with innovative capabilities, leaders in technological innovation, visionary entrepreneurs with strategic capabilities and other foreign talents that China badly needs for its social and economic development are preferred. Foreign experts who have made contributions to China’s economic upgrade, public entrepreneurship, Made in China 2025 and Belt and Road initiatives will be given priority, the Shenzhen Municipal Foreign Experts Affairs Administration said.

    Those foreign experts who selflessly devote themselves to various undertakings, endure hardships in poor areas in China and have a good reputation and social influence are also eligible for nomination.

    The applicants, in principle, should have received provincial or ministerial-level awards.

    Eighteen expats working in Shenzhen have received the honor since 1991, when the awards were first given, and 1,249 foreign experts have been honored nationwide.

    Every year, 50 foreign experts are selected for the award, while 100 can qualify during certain anniversary celebrations.

    In 2014, Arno Felix Roehringer, a chief operating officer for Shenzhen BYD Daimler New Technology Co. Ltd. from Germany, and Gregory D. Gibb, a deputy general manager for Ping An Insurance (Group) Co. Ltd. from the U.S., won friendship awards.

    (Han Ximin)