Eight foreign diplomats awarded China's outstanding diplomat medals

The inaugural presentation ceremony for China's Outstanding Diplomat Medal was held in Beijing on Monday, honoring envoys who have left a distinctive mark in shared chapters of understanding.

During the ceremony, a total of eight foreign diplomats, including former Russian Ambassador to China Andrey Denisov, received the medal in recognition of their outstanding contributions to promoting friendship and cooperation between China and their countries. The medal recipients are: former Russian Ambassador to China Andrey Denisov, former Cambodian Ambassador to China Khek Caimealy Sysoda, Pakistani Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi, Kazakh Ambassador to China Shakhrat Nuryshev, Saudi Arabian Ambassador to China Abdulrahman Ahmad Al-Harbi, former Chadian Ambassador to China Allamaye Halina, Colombian Ambassador to China Sergio Cabrera Cardenas, and former Uruguayan Ambassador to China Fernando Lugris.

The Outstanding Diplomat Medal honorees expressed profound appreciation, stating that it was not only recognition of their personal achievements but also an affirmation of the high-level bilateral relations.

"That's great, first of all, great to hear. And of course that's a kind of proudness. I'm proud that my very, very modest contribution to the progress of the bilateral relations have been marked in a so high-ranking award. It's not just a reward. It's kind of hope that the future progress will be the same and even better than it was before. We are two big countries. We are not allies, but we are very close. So from that point of view, I'm convinced to have a good future and good results will be achieved soon," said former Russian Ambassador to China Andrey Denisov.

"I'm extremely pleased with this honor and this prestigious outstanding diplomat award. I think it is both a personal honor and also an honor for my country. And I think it is also a tribute to Pakistan-China ironclad friendship. So I feel very encouraged and I feel inspired to do even more to further strengthen our bilateral relations," said Pakistani Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi.

"This is a recognition not only to I personally, but to all of the Uruguayan diplomats who have been working in developing the bilateral relations with China for many, many decades. This comprehensive strategic partnership is a paradigm in international relations. Because we are countries that are very far away, we have been distanced by geography and history for many, many, many centuries. But luckily today we are excellent friends. We have achieved a very important political agreement on the substance of our principles. We have so many commonalities in our views with China in defending the international system," former Uruguayan Ambassador to China Fernando Lugris said.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has established the Outstanding Diplomat Medal specifically to show appreciation and gratitude to effective envoys and promote friendship.

Eight foreign diplomats awarded China's outstanding diplomat medals

China's top legislator Zhao Leji held talks with vising Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili in Beijing on Monday to discuss relations between their two countries.

During the talks, Zhao, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said that under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and Georgia's leaders, the two countries have established a strategic partnership, and bilateral relations have entered a fast lane of high-quality and all-round development.

China is willing to work with Georgia to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, and to keep enriching the connotation of the China-Georgia strategic partnership, Zhao said.

Expressing his thanks to Georgia for its long-term support of China's position on issues related to Taiwan, Xinjiang, Xizang, Hong Kong and human rights, Zhao said China will, as always, support Georgia in following a development path that is independently chosen by its people and that suits its national conditions.

Georgia is one of the first countries to respond to and participate in the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative. China is willing to work with Georgia to adhere to mutual benefit and win-win results, expand cooperation in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, the digital economy and green energy, deepen people-to-people and cultural exchanges and strengthen cooperation in areas such as education, culture, tourism and youth, so as to enhance multilateral collaboration and practice true multilateralism, Zhao said.

China's NPC is willing to deepen exchanges and cooperation with the Parliament of Georgia, enhance friendly exchanges among special committees, bilateral friendship groups, NPC deputies and lawmakers, and carry out exchanges and mutual learning on issues such as legislation, supervision work, sustainable development and ecological civilization construction, so as to create a favorable legal environment for bilateral practical cooperation, Zhao said.

He also briefed on the outline of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) for national socioeconomic development and the National Development Planning Law.

Papuashvili said the Georgian side firmly adheres to the one-China principle, and is willing to work with China to promote continuous development of the strategic partnership between the two countries and jointly safeguard international law and the international order.

Georgia is willing to actively participate in joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and strengthen cooperation in various fields such as the economy, trade and culture, he said.

The Parliament of Georgia is willing to deepen friendly exchanges with China's NPC, enhance the public opinion foundation for friendship between the two countries, and make contributions of the legislative body to promoting the development of relations between Georgia and China.

China's top legislator holds talks with Georgian parliament speaker on relations