1. Why was the ¡°Westlake Friendship Award¡± set up?

Reply: The government of Zhejiang Province set up the ¡°Westlake Friendship Award¡± in 1997 to honor those foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to the socialist modernization drive in our province, to promote friendship and to express our gratitude to them for their help. It is the highest award given to foreign experts by the provincial government.

2. What are the guidelines for applying for the ¡°Westlake Friendship Award¡± for foreign experts?

Reply: Circular No. 226 [Zhe Zheng Ban Fa 1997] Provisional Measures of Establishing the ¡®Westlake Friendship Award¡¯ for Foreign Experts in Zhejiang Province.

3. Who are eligible candidates for the ¡°Westlake Friendship Award¡±?

Reply: The candidates must be foreign experts who have been working in Zhejiang Province for over 6 months. They can be foreign professionals who have been recruited (invited) to our province to provide technical, management, and other specialist services according to agreements or protocols between executive governments or international organizations, or trade agreements between China and foreign countries; senior management personnel or high-level technical personnel from overseas in foreign-funded enterprises; or foreign cultural and educational experts or teachers teaching in universities or colleges, secondary schools or primary schools in our province that are subordinate to the central ministries (committees), provincial or municipal government.

4. What are required of the ¡°Westlake Friendship Award¡± winners?

Reply: The ¡°Westlake Friendship Award¡± is presented to the foreign experts who are friendly to China and meet one of the following requirements:

1) Having made outstanding achievements in introducing advanced technology, equipment and management experience from overseas to our province, imparting latest techniques, technology and methods, and solving major problems in technology and management;

2) Having bridged the gap in the process of developing technology and tackling key problems in science and technology in enterprises of our province, or having advanced significant proposals, which result in remarkable economic returns and social benefits;

3) Having made outstanding contributions to the construction, production, operation and management of major projects of national level, provincial level or municipal level in our province;

4) Having played an important part in training competent personnel for our province, worked hard in teaching and scientific research and made outstanding contributions in the relevant fields;

5) Having made great contributions to the opening-up and friendly exchange of our province with the outside world in such domains as economy, science and technology, culture, health, publication, sports and overseas publicity, and having contributed to our province instrumentation or books and reference materials of significant value;

6) Being friendly people, from overseas governmental or non-governmental organizations, who have made notable contributions to introducing overseas intellects to our province.

5. How to apply for the ¡°Westlake Friendship Award¡±?

Reply: 1) The applying unit fills out the ¡°Westlake Friendship Award¡± application form;

2) The application forms from units subordinate to the provincial government must be submitted to the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office after going through the initial examination by competent authorities. The application forms from units subordinate to the municipal (or prefecture-level, the same thereinafter) government must be submitted to the municipal government after going through the initial examination by the Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, the municipal government, in turn, transfers the application forms to the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office after examining and verifying them. The application forms from units subordinate to the central ministries (committees) must be submitted directly to the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office;

3) All applying units must submit all relevant materials to the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office a month before the ¡°Westlake Friendship Award¡± is presented, and evaluate the work of their recommended foreign experts realistically, conscientiously and rigorously;

4) An evaluation group composed of concerned experts and superintendents is organized by the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office in conjunction with the Provincial Education Department and the Provincial Personnel Department to evaluate the work of all candidates for the award. After the evaluation group decides on the choice of the award winners, the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office submits the decision to the provincial government for examination and approval. With the approval of the provincial government, the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office sends a written notification to the applying units.

5) The provincial government holds a ceremony and presents the ¡°Westlake Friendship Medals¡± and the honor certificates to the award-winning foreign experts. The ceremony is usually held around National Day every year.

6. What materials are needed to apply for the ¡°Westlake Friendship Award¡±?

Reply: Three copies of application form for the ¡°Westlake Friendship Award¡± for foreign experts in Zhejiang Province, which are completed with relevant information.

7. What is the time limit for applying for the ¡°Westlake Friendship Award¡±?

Reply: After being examined, the application materials are submitted to the provincial government for examination and approval before early September every year. The Division of Press and Culture is responsible for this matter. It can be reached at 87054928 and 87054927.