The State Council honored outstanding individuals and organizations working on science and technology in a circular issued on Jan 10, for their remarkable contributions to China’s scientific and technological progress, economic and social development, and national defense modernization.

Huang Xuhua, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and Zeng Qingcun, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, were given the country’s top science and technology award, known as the State Preeminent Science and Technology Award.

The State Natural Science Award recognized 46 accomplishments, with the first prize awarded to a discovery in chiral chemistry, and the second prize to 45 others.

Three scientific achievements were first-prize winners of the National Technology Invention Award, which also included the second prize presented to 62 other achievements.

Three scientific accomplishments made it onto the special prize winning list of the National Science and Technology Progress Award, followed by another 22 and 160 receiving the first and second prize, respectively.

Ten foreign experts won the International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Award.

All workers in science and technology are encouraged, by following the example of the two academicians and the other award winners, to pioneer breakthrough innovations, address key technology difficulties, facilitate the application of science and technology, and pursue opening-up and cooperation in scientific and technological innovation, to build China into an innovation-driven technology powerhouse.