Professor Lord Bhattacharyya, Chairman and founder of WMG, at the University of Warwick, was on Friday (29th September 2017) bestowed with two prestigious awards from China – the Great Wall Friendship Award, from Beijing City, and the Chinese Government Friendship Award, the premier national award.

Receiving the awards, on Friday 29^th September, at two separate ceremonies in China is the first time that an individual has received Beijing’s Great Wall Friendship Award and the Chinese Government Friendship Award on the same day.

The Great Wall Friendship Award was presented in appreciation of Professor Lord Bhattacharyya’s ‘enthusiastic support and contribution to Beijing's construction and your friendly cooperation’. Acting Mayor Mr Chen Jining on behalf of the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality presented the award at a special ceremony in Beijing.

The Chinese Government Friendship Award, is the highest award offered by the Chinese Government to honour foreign experts. It was presented by Vice Premier Ma Kai at the Ceremony of the Chinese Government Friendship Award in the Great Hall of the People in Tiananmen Square. Vice Premier Ma Kai 'extended warm congratulations on behalf of the Chinese Government and heartfelt thanks for Professor Lord Bhattacharyya’s participation in China's development. We welcome you to be a facilitator of China's modernisation drive, practitioner of the innovation-driven strategy and promoter of international collaboration between China and the world, by making further contribution to the economic and social development of China as well as progress of human civilisation.'

Professor Lord Bhattacharyya said “I am surprised but honoured to have been given these two prestigious awards. An honour given by the capital Beijing reflects the vision they have for welcoming international experts to serve their great city. I came to Beijing for the first time in the early 1980’s and the remarkable transformation of the city since then is a wonder.

To receive the national award from Vice Premier Ma Kai, who had previously visited WMG to discuss energy and light weighting, was a great honour to me. To have played a role in this new age of Chinese innovation has been a stimulating and exciting part of my life for over thirty years. I launched our first joint programme with Chinese industry in 1989. We have helped develop more than three thousand Chinese engineers and helped placed innovation at the heart of Chinese economic growth and wealth creation”.

On Saturday 30^th September, Professor Lord Bhattacharyya met with Premier Li Keqiang, Premier of the State Council, members of the State Council and SAFEA Administrator Zhang Jianguo in the Great Hall of the People, prior to being a guest at the National Day Reception to celebrate the 68^th Anniversary of the People’s Republic of China.

Video of one of the ceremonies with Vice Premier Ma (requires Flash)

http://app.cntv.cn/special/news/column/index.html?id=a91825a52b2c4d29ac473a9bf338beec&no=53&fromapp=cctvnews&from=singlemessage&isappinstalled=0

Video of meeting with Premier Li Keqiang, Premier of the State Council

http://app.cntv.cn/special/news/column/index.html?id=85cf2864dc934a49b96b1dc4852a7870&no=0&fromapp=cctvnews&from=singlemessage&isappinstalled=0

For further information please contact:

Lisa Barwick - Head of Marketing & Communications, WMG
Tel: 024 7652 4721 or 07824 540845
Email: L.Barwick@warwick.ac.uk

Or

Peter Dunn, Director of Press and Media Relations
University of Warwick,
Tel UK 024 76523708 office 07767 655860 mobile
Tel from overseas: +44 (0)24 76523708 office +44 (0)7767 655860 mobile/cell
Email p.j.dunn@warwick.ac.uk

PJD 2nd October 2017