Nation honors eight envoys for fostering friendship, advancing cooperation

Outstanding Diplomat Medal presented China Daily China held the inaugural presentation ceremony of the Outstanding Diplomat Medal on Monday, honoring eight current and former ambassadors to China for their contributions to advancing friendship and cooperation between China and the world. When delivering a speech at the ceremony, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the honorees are builders of bilateral ties, pioneers in promoting understanding of China, champions of people-to-people exchanges and practitioners of mutually beneficial cooperation. Wang said the Foreign Ministry established the medal to convey China’s appreciation and gratitude. He expressed confidence that the envoys would carry fond memories of China with them, a country that many of them have come to regard as a second home. Wang voiced his hope that the envoys would continue to foster friendship between China and the world, adding that the Foreign Ministry will continue to provide strong support for envoys serving in China. Describing China as a peace-loving, open and inclusive country that cherishes friendship and upholds justice, Wang said that China stands ready to join hands with all progressive forces to work toward a brighter future for humanity. AndreyDenisov, who served as Moscow’s envoy in Beijing for more than nine years and is now the first deputy chair of the Russian Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs, said that Russia-China relations are at their highest level in history, with the two sides closely aligned on many major issues. Denisov said that he is proud to have made his own contributions to a relationship that stands as a pillar of stability amid global turbulence. ShakhratNuryshev, Kazakh ambassador to China, said that his career has been closely connected with China over the past three decades. “During this time, I have had the privilege of directly participating in bilateral relations,” he said. Nuryshev said the medal recognizes not only his personal contribution but als