The State Council has decided to give awards to individuals and institutions that made huge scientific contributions to China’s technological progress, economic and social development and modernization of national defense.

Approved by the State Council and signed by President Xi Jinping, academicians Wang Zeshan and Hou Yunde were awarded the 2017 State Pre-eminent Science and Technology Award, the nation’s highest scientific award.

A total of 271 projects were honored with national prizes, including 35 for the state natural science award, 66 for the national technological invention award and 170 for the national science and technology (S&T) progress award.

Seven foreign scientists won international S&T cooperation prizes.

The State Council urged scientific and technological workers to learn from Wang and Hou to build China into an innovation-driven country and make more contributions to the country’s development.