China recognizes excellent young foreign affairs staff

The government gave awards Thursday to more than fifty young Chinese for their excellent work in foreign affairs.

Of them, ten were recognized "outstanding " while the other 48 were lauded "excellent."

Yu Hailin, an official with the International Department of the Central Committee of Communist Party of China (CPC), was one of those recognized. He risked his life to protect Chinese citizens in Iraq and greatly contributed to advancing China-Iraq ties.

Others included a female official with China's Supreme People's Procuratorate who recovered a huge sum of illicit money flowing abroad and a Shanghai police officer who worked in peacekeeping operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The award ceremony, the second of its kind, was initiated by five governmental departments involved in foreign affairs. They are the Central Committee of Communist Youth League of China, the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Commerce and Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

In 1999, China began commending young Chinese for their work in the country's foreign affairs.