BEIJING - Premier Wen Jiabao had a meeting on Friday with 50 foreigners from 21 nations who received the annual government "Friendship Award" for their excellent work performances in China.

Talking to the award recipients at central Beijing's Great Hall of the People, the premier thanked these award-winning foreign experts in the presence of their families and praised them for their outstanding contributions to China's reform, opening-up and modernization drive.

Wen, member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau, also extended his appreciation for, and greetings to all foreign experts working in China and their families.

In his address, the premier recounted the country's latest development achievements, saying that in spite of this year's severe global economic situation, China has maintained stable economic development, which "is of great importance to the revival of the world economy and stability."

Wen attributed China's development and progress to the solidarity and hard work of the Chinese People, as well as the diligent contributions made by foreign experts working in the country.

The premier emphasized the country's demand for talented people in making new, higher level achievements with better quality and in a more sustainable manner.

"While we are fostering a large number of excellent, talented people at home, we should pay attention to introducing more high-quality foreign talents, so as to provide the country's modernization drive with powerful intellectual support," he said.

Wen called the foreign experts, who work shoulder-to-shoulder with the Chinese People and share their happiness and woe, "participants and witnesses" in the country's economic and social development and progress.

He urged government departments in charge of foreign experts' affairs to create sound conditions for excellent foreign talents to display their wisdom and abilities in China.

Vice-Premier Zhang Dejiang joined Wen at the meeting.

China launched the annual award in 1991 and, so far, the government has granted the awards to 1,199 foreign professionals working in the country.