The Hong Kong-based Ho Leung Ho Lee (HLHL) Foundation on Tuesday granted science and technology awards to 51 Chinese scientists in Beijing.

Of all the winners, Yang Xuejun, a professor from the National University of Defense Technology, was awarded the Science and Technology Achievement Award for his achievements in supercomputing.

Chinese State Councilor Liu Yandong, in her congratulatory letter to the winners, encouraged the scientists to make greater progress in the future and expressed gratitude to the foundation's donors.

She said that since the HLHL foundation was founded 17 years ago, it has abided by the principle of fairness, justice and openness, and presented awards to a wealth of outstanding Chinese scientists and engineers.

She praised the foundation for its important contribution to the cultivation of science talent and the development of science and technology.

Sang Guowei, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), attended the awards giving ceremony.

Sang said China's Twelfth Five-Year Plan attached great importance to scientific innovation and the cultivation of science and technology talent.

He called on the scientists to adhere to the independent innovation path with Chinese characteristics and make further contributions to building an innovation-oriented country.

The HLHL foundation, set up in Hong Kong in 1994, is the most influential non-governmental prize in science and technology in China.

It awards Chinese scientists in three categories, the Science and Technology Achievement Award, the Science and Technology Progress Award, and the Science and Technology Innovation Award.

A total of 952 Chinese scientists have received honors over the past 17 years.

(Xinhua News Agency November 8, 2011)