The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) organized Wednesday an event to mark the 10th anniversary of the Hong Kong-based Choi Koon-shun Foundation, which financially supports senior CAS academicians.
Lu Yongxiang, CAS president, said more than 170 senior CAS academicians have contributed greatly to the scientific community and are regarded as state treasures by the people.
Lu, also director-general of the foundation, said the foundation will play a more active role in awarding senior academicians and will inspire them to contribute more to the nation.
Shen Baogen, director in charge of the CAS academician bureau, said that in the early 1990s, some senior CAS academicians were faced with some difficulties in working and living conditions. Choi set up a foundation on June 8, 1995, supporting those academicians.
A noted businessman in Hong Kong, Choi and his family invested more than 100 million Hong Kong dollars into higher-learning institutions and other cultural and educational projects.
Among those attending the celebration were Zhou Guangzhao, president of the Chinese Association for Science and Technology and former director-general of the foundation, Choi himself, and some representatives for senior CAS academicians.
(Xinhua News Agency November 24, 2005)
