China is welcoming more foreign experts to participate in its construction, Premier Wen Jiabao said on the eve of the National Day.

At Tuesday's ceremony honouring 50 foreigners who won this year's "Friendship Award'' from the Chinese Government, Wen said the country will streamline its laws and regulations to create better working and living conditions for foreign experts.

Extending congratulations and thanks to the award winners, Wen said absorbing overseas wisdom and talented people is a vital part of China's drive to open up, and the Chinese Government will take measures to participate in international exchanges of talent.

The annual number of foreign experts has surpassed 400,000 in recent years from several hundred 20 years ago, disclosed Zhang Jianguo, deputy director of the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA).

Launched in 1991, the "Friendship Award'' is the supreme annual honour the Chinese Government confers on those foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to China's economic and social progress.

The Chinese Government presented the award to 50 foreign experts from 19 countries this year. To date, 716 foreign experts have been awarded the honour.

China has a tradition of respecting foreign talents -- reflected in the old saying "non-native monks always do a better job in reciting scriptures.''

Today, foreign experts have more choices than ever for working in China, in such diverse fields as agriculture, science, law and finance, said Zhang.

In the early years of the opening-up, foreigners were mainly employed in the fields of production, education and news publishing, Zhang recalled.

To improve the future system, legal guidelines should be established and perfected to guarantee the provision of a convenient environment for foreign experts working in China, he said.

SAFEA is currently drafting a regulation on the employment management of foreigners, Zhang disclosed.

At the same time, "government's role in the introduction of intellectual resources is not omnipotent,'' he said, adding the government should adjust its function from the main body of the market to manager and macro-regulator.

As the nation has joined the World Trade Organization, it should follow international practices when recruiting foreign experts, said Liu Yongzhi, another SAFEA official.

This year also marks the 20th anniversary of the speech delivered by late leader Deng Xiaoping on "utilizing foreign intelligence and expanding the opening-up towards the outside world.''

"China must invite foreign experts to major projects and developments in all fields,'' Deng said in 1983.

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