Three national awards are presented to foreign nationals working in China and overseas personnel who help the country in its progress.

They are the Friendship Award for outstanding foreigners working on the Chinese mainland, the Marco Polo Award for the Americans and the Yanhuang Award for overseas professionals who have helped introduce foreign expertise to the country. About 50 people a year win the Friendship Award.

Officials from the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs said they have been working over the years to improve reward and motivation mechanisms for those working in the field of foreign intellectual resources.

(China Daily November 30, 2007)