The award ceremony for the 2024 West Lake Friendship Award is held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province on July 8. [Photo/WeChat account: zjhrsswx]

The Zhejiang provincial government conferred the 2024 West Lake Friendship Award on July 8 to 50 foreign experts working in the East China province, in recognition of their contributions to local economic and social development.

Since the beginning of China's reform and opening-up, Zhejiang has attracted a growing number of foreign professionals to support its development goals.

Established in 1997, the West Lake Friendship Award reflects the province's respect for the wisdom and efforts of experts from abroad.

To date, 799 foreign experts have received the award. Their involvement has helped increase the number of foreign professionals in Zhejiang from around 7,800 in the 1990s to about 23,000 today.

This year's recipients include scholars who have nurtured future academic leaders, entrepreneurs who have contributed to Zhejiang's growth for decades, and foreign mediators who have facilitated cross-border legal affairs.

Martin Nies, general manager of Ningbo Sac Valve Technology Company, is among the honorees. Having been living and working in Zhejiang for over 20 years, he has witnessed the province's rapid development.

He credits this success to the government's effective guidance and the hard work of local people.

Nies said that such a place is undoubtedly worth more investment, praising Zhejiang's strong support for the manufacturing sector and small and medium-sized enterprises.

In 2023, he conveyed Zhejiang's favorable policies to his company's German headquarters, which later led to several new cooperation agreements.

Another recipient, Ian Wakeman, a British expert in computer networks and applications, worked with Zhejiang Gongshang University to establish China's first Sino-foreign joint education institute in the field of AI in 2020.

Since its founding, the institute has trained over 1,000 graduates who are now contributing to cutting-edge sectors such as AI and robotics.

Wakeman said that Zhejiang is full of opportunities for the AI industry and that the province is integrating scientific and industrial innovation. He added that he hoped to contribute to that progress.

In recent years, Zhejiang has introduced various measures and services to make it easier for foreigners to do business, work, study and travel in the province.

Last year, the province led the nation to launch the "Join in Card" which combines foreign work permits with social security cards. The smart card provides access to over 260 services, including healthcare and transportation.