Life of Guangzhou - Fourteen Foreigners Awarded GZ's Official Laurel

All 14 award winners pose for picture with Vice Mayor of Guangzhou Xu Ruisheng .

Vice Mayor of Guangzhou Xu Ruisheng (R) congratulates Mr. Ron Jundi from US.

Vice Mayor of Guangzhou Xu Ruisheng (R) presents the award to Mr. Satoshi Kikuchi from Japan .

Fourteen selected foreign experts in Guangzhou were awarded the 4th Guangzhou Friendship Awards for their contributions to the city during an award ceremony at the Baiyun International Convention Center in northern Guangzhou on the afternoon of March 29th.

Vice Mayor of Guangzhou Xu Ruisheng presented the awards to these experts respectively from 7 countries including USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, France and Belgium.

Mr. Xu remarked the foreign experts are treasures of Guangzhou.

The event is expanding and has witnessed a number of breakthroughs this time: more award winners (14), more educational and cultural awardees (3), first ever presence of private companies (Kingfa Scien-tech Company and Huamei School) and more applying organizations, compared with the past.

About 400 people attended the warm and happy event, including senior officials of Guangdong Provincial Foreign Experts Bureau, Guangzhou Personnel Bureau and districts governments, award winners, some foreigners in Guangzhou and their families and friends, and representatives from expats’ employers.

French Consul General in Guangzhou Jean-Raphael Peytregnet regards the award as a great and beneficial way to promote the city in becoming more international and open.

Vice Mayor of Guangzhou Xu Ruisheng addresses the ceremony.

Vice Mayor of Guangzhou Xu Ruisheng (R) talks with award winner Mr. Jon Ransom from Canada

Vice Mayor: Foreign experts help us

In his address, Vice Mayor Xu congratulated and appreciated the winners and all the overseas experts working in Guangzhou on the behalf of local people and municipal government.

He said Guangzhou’s dynamic change and development were attributive of the international talents and cooperation.

Guangzhou has been progressing technologies and management, and improving communities and economy by introducing foreign talents for more than 20 years. More dedicated foreigners are welcome to work in Guangzhou.

Award winner Marc De Schutter from Belgium addresses in Chinese the ceremony .

Foreigner: The change of people's mind here so strong

Award-winner Marc De Schutter from Belgium, on behalf of overseas experts, thanked Guangzhou government and the citizens for giving the honor in his address in fluent Chinese. “I was a bit worried if they could understand what I said.” He smiled when talking about his address in Chinese afterwards.

He thought there was nothing more precious than friendship. And the Yangcheng Friendship Award would encourage those experts working in Guangzhou to be committed to developing a better Guangzhou.

Award winner Marc De Schutter (center) poses with his wife and friends in front of his poster.

Mr. Schutter said this award was a little surprise but great honor to him in the exclusive interview by www.lifeofghuangzhou.com.

As to the South China’s city where he’s lived for thirteen years, he was impressed by its “speed of change” even on daily base, and moreover how the people here expect for better life and look to the future. This change of mind behind the buildings were so strong, he said.

He also advised Guangzhou should learn more from foreign countries in infrastructure construction and environment improvement. He thought the city already did a good job in these aspects.

The Belgian manager suggested to European companies to pay more attention to the Pearl River Delta when looking for investment and cooperation opportunities.

Two award winners talk in gaity.

Two happy spectators.

Award winner Ronald Houston (center) poses with his family.

(Reported by Ronald Li and Luna Yang, photographed by Ronald Li and Kaisheng Lu)

Click here for more interesting details about the Guangzhou Friendship Awards.

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