–StoriesoftheChineseGovernment’sFriendshipAwardWinners
ChiefEditor:LiangBoshu
Price:RMB88
Paperback,166pages
PublishedbyHuangShanPublishingHouse
THEbookseriesForeignExpertsinChinahasthreevolumes,eachfocusingon10figureseminentinareasofeconomy,culture,education,aswellasscienceandtechnology,andtellingthestoriesoftheirworkandlifeinChina.
LiangBoshuischiefeditorofthebookseriesandalsoeditorin-chiefofInternationalTalent,aperiodicalpublishedbytheStateAdministrationofForeignExpertsAffairs.HeandhisdeputyWuXingduobothhaverichexperienceininterviewing,writing,andeditingthestoriesofforeignexperts.
Thebookseriesrecordstheaccountsandexperiencesofagroupofforeignerscomingfromdifferentcountries,andpossessingexpertiseintheirrespectiveareas.Workinginpublishinghouses,diplomaticandcross-culturalexchangeorganizations,foreignembassiesandconsulatesinChina,Chineseresearchinstitutes,universities,andoverseasConfuciusInstitutes,theseforeignersareexperts,diplomats,andteacherswhohavedevotedthemselvestoChina’seconomicandsocialdevelopment,pursuingtheirowndreamsandrealizingtheirownvaluesintheprocess.WorkingandlivinginChinagivesthemnotjustvaluablememories,butalsoenablesthemtoformdeepfriendshipswithlocalpeople,whichaddsanintangibleandunforgettablehumanelementtotheirlivesandstories.TheirstoriesencouragemoreinternationalfriendsfromacrosstheworldtochooseChinafortheircareerdevelopment.
TheChinesegovernment’sFriendshipAwardwassetforexpertsfromtheSovietUnionandEasternEuropeancountriesthatcametoChinainthe1950s,andthendevelopedintoanawardforforeignexpertswhomakegreatcontributionsinChina’sprocessofmodernizationandthecauseofreformandopening-up.ItisthehighesthonorgivenbytheChinesegovernment.OntheNationalDay,winnerswouldbeinvitedtoBeijingtoparticipateintheawardingceremonyandmeetwiththetopnationalleadershipfortheconferringoftheaward.
ExpertsincludedinthethreevolumesareallwinnersoftheFriendshipAward.Theyhavemaderemarkableachievementsintheirrespectiveareasofexpertise,andhavebeenwidelyreportedamongChinesepeople.Comingfromvariouscountrieswithdifferentages,someofthemhavepassedaway,whilesomearestillactiveintheirworkinChina.
Somearewell-knowntoeveryhousehold,forexample,theformerpresidentofCornellUniversityandcurrentdeputyvicechancellorofNewYorkUniversityShanghaiJeffreyS.Lehman,knownas“femaleBethunefromRussia,”PopovaLiliyainChina’sDaqingCityofHeilongjiangProvince,andoldChinahandProfessorWilliamN.BrownofXiamenUniversity.Someareprestigiousscientists,suchas“Mr.Anti-Virus”EugeneKaspersky,semiconductorexpertZ.I.Alferov,internationalspaceresearchexpertRoger-MauriceBonnet,andtheNobelPrizelaureateinphysiologyormedicineBarryJ.Marshall.Somearefamousintheeconomicsphere,forinstance,CEOandChairmanofLufaxGregoryD.Gibb,andGermanexpertsofgrapegraftingtechniquesNorbertGorresandHansBeu.
LateGermanexpertWernerGerich(1919-2003)wasthefirst“foreignfactoryboss”toheadaChinesestate-ownedenterprisesincethecountrylaunchedreformandopening-up.InAugust1984,WernerGerichbecameoneofthethreeseniorretiredexpertsofSeniorExpertenService(SES)whowassentfromGermanytoWuhan.AfterafourmonthinvestigationonWuhanDieselEnginePlanthebecameitstechnicaladvisor,andlaterinNovemberwasappointedthefactoryboss.Hisboldreform,strictqualitycontrol,andmarket-orientedmanagementtransformedthesmallfactory.ItbegantoexportdieselenginestosevenSoutheastAsiancountrieswithanannualexportcapacityof5,000,earningmorethanonemillionUSdollars,astunningachievementforitstime.In1986,WernerGerichwasgiventherightsofpermanentresidencebytheChinesegovernment.
JamesHopeisthedesigndirectorofCheryAutomobileCo.,Ltd.whosharedhisunderstandingontheChinaSpeedintechnologyinnovation.“WerefertoChinaasanamazingland,”heexplained.“Forexample,oncewehadanewcartobeshownattheBeijingInternationalAutomotiveExhibition.WemadethefirstdraftofthecarinJanuaryandwereexpectedtofinishthemanufacturingworkinlateApril,justfivedaysbeforetheexhibition.Everyonefeltgreatpressurebutfinallywediditwithinbarelymorethanthreemonths.Howamazingthespeedis!”
“LivinginChinaislikeridingonthehigh-speedrailway.Passengersmayknowwheretheygobutcannotguesswherethenextturnis.”CCTV-9’sformeranchor,NewZealanderEdwinMaherexpressedthesamefeeling.HeoftenwritesarticlesforChinaDailytointroducechangesinChinatoforeignreaders.
China’smodernizationisinextricablylinkedtotheseforeignexpertswhohavecometoChinafromthe1960stonow.TheywitnessedtheconstructionofanewChinaandlaterdevotedthemselvestoChina’sreformandopening-up.NowtheystandinthecenterofinternationalarenatogetherwithChinainthenewera.