On the afternoon of the Lunar New Year holiday eve, February 4th, Premier Li Qiang met with the foreign experts working in China who were recipients of the 2023 Chinese Government Friendship Award at the Great Hall of the People where they engaged in discussions. Our university's distinguished professor, recipient of the Beijing "Great Wall Friendship Award," and foreign academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Anthony Beasley, was invited to participate as a representative of the foreign experts.
During the symposium, Premier Li extended Lunar New Year blessings and sincere greetings to the foreign experts and their families. He thanked them for their long-term concern and support for the development and construction of China, and listened attentively to the experts’ opinions and suggestions regarding China’s development and the government’s efforts. Premier Li pointed out that the foreign experts have played a critical role in promoting China's economic and social development and furthering exchanges and cooperation between China and foreign countries. In devoting themselves to China's development endeavors, they have poured in tremendous effort and hard work, making positive contributions while simultaneously realizing their personal aspirations and values in life. China is comprehensively advancing the construction of Chinese-style modernization and high-quality development. Both currently and going forward, China represents a land of opportunity and development that is full of promise. It will provide a broad space for foreign experts as well as all types of talent to pursue their careers and make their dreams a reality. Premier Li emphasized that China's development is open development, and talent from all over the world shall be welcomed with open arms. He expressed the hope that foreign experts will continue to engage closely in China’s development and fully display their talents on the grand stage of constructing Chinese-style modernization. He also hopes they will continue to serve as a bridge facilitating communication and exchanges between China and the rest of the world. The Chinese government will continue to optimize relevant policies, further facilitate personnel exchanges, strengthen protection of intellectual property rights and other rights and interests, and create an even better environment for talent from all countries to work and live in China.
Professor Anthony Bisley is a Fellow of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. He was elected as a Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering in 2021 and selected as a Specially-Appointed Professor at our university in 2023. Academician Anthony Bisley and our university's research team have successively unveiled the longevity mechanism of Chinese chestnuts and the peach replant disease, jointly decoded the complete genome genetic code of Chinese chestnuts, excavated over 20 species of rhizosphere probiotic microorganisms with significant antagonistic and promoting effects, applied for and were granted 6 invention patents, supplying vital microbial sources for the development of bio-fertilizers and ecological environmental improvement. Academician Bisley and our university have jointly trained over 60 graduate students, over 10 postdoctoral fellows and young teachers. Many of the teachers have been recognized as Beijing Science and Technology New Stars and other talent titles, making positive contributions to the high-quality development of talent cultivation, faculty team building, and the school’s affairs at our university.
