The 2017 Annual “Friendship Award” ceremony was held on September 29th at the Great Hall of the People. Dr. Ante Simonic received the award and spoke at the ceremony.
The award is the highest honor given by the Chinese government to foreign experts. Chairman Ante Simonic was cordially received by the Chinese state leaders at the Great Hall of the People, and cordially shook hands with Mr. Li Keqiang, the Politburo Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and premiers of the State Council; Mr. Zhang Gaoli, the Politburo Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice premiers of the State Council; and Mr. Ma Kai, the member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice premiers of the State Council.
Dr. Ante Simonic and his wife, Zhao Rita, participated in the state banquet of 68th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
The “Friendship Award” is the highest award for foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions in China’s modernization progress. A total of 50 foreigners from 21 countries were awarded this year.
As the former Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia, Dr. Ante Simonic was elected President of WABA, which had more than 300 alcohol-related associations from 60 countries and regions, on September 9th, 2014 at the 4th China (Guizhou) International Wine Fair, and was issued a certificate by the Guizhou Provincial Governor Chen Yiqin( then the executive vice governor of Guizhou Province).
WABA has been adhering to the aim of “build platform, share resources, create benefits; exchange information, mutual financing, mutual circulation; joint property rights, exchange technology, mutual innovation; interactive management, exchange of resources, exchange of culture; Improve output, improve efficiency, enhance civilization”, and is committed to the wine industries related research, development, promotion, sales, environment, manpower, technology, production, circulation, consumption, standards, economy, culture, cultivation, brewing, packaging, logistics and other elements around the globe.
At the WABA annual meeting, domestic and foreign politicians, guests, experts and scholars around WABA’s aim, gives theme speeches, releases theme contents, starts theme projects, and releases the “Global Wine Development Report White Paper” in both Chinese and English versions to the world to promote the innovation and integration of global wine resources, standards and brands.
WABA has been building a scientific and standardized global standard system, inheriting, nurturing and maintaining a good global wine brewing culture, promoting the rational flow and allocation of global resources, promoting world civilization construction, promoting China (Guizhou) International Wine Fair and the global wine associations and business exchanges and cooperation to promote the healthy development of the international wine and related industries.
WABA Press Department
