Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang t the annual "Friendship Award" ceremony.

The Chinese government Wednesday honored 50 foreign experts from 16 countries for their outstanding contributions to China's development.

"China's modernization and its fight against the financial crisis have been helped by foreign experts' wisdom," Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang said at the annual "Friendship Award" ceremony.

Congratulating all honored experts, Zhang said China will adopt more open policies to attract overseas talent and boost international cooperation.

"We will continuously innovate talent-related systems and improve laws and regulations to build an open environment where foreign experts can live and work comfortably and happily," Zhang said.

Zhang encouraged foreign experts, overseas Chinese, and international friends to take part in China's modernization and boost friendship between the Chinese people and the world.