In the afternoon of February 7, 2023, HAAFS held the "Yanzhao Friendship Award" presentation ceremony to award Professor BANNO KIYOSHI of Shinshu University of Japan, the partner of Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences.

Zhang Tielong, the secretary of the Party leadership and president of HAAFS, awarded the medal and certificate to Professor BANNO KIYOSHI. On behalf of HAAFS, President Zhang Tielong first thanked Professor BANNO KIYOSHI for his outstanding contributions to the fruit tree breeding work in Hebei Province, and thanked the Provincial Department of Science and Technology and the Provincial Bureau of Foreign Experts Affairs for their long-term support to the work of the academy. He pointed out that Professor BANNO has been committed to fruit tree breeding and dwarfing rootstock research for many years, and has achieved a series of innovative scientific research results, enjoying a high academic reputation in the world. He hoped that our fruit tree breeding team and Professor BANNO would continue to carry out practical exchanges, improve the effectiveness of cooperation, and promote the fruit tree breeding research to a new level.

Professor BANNO issued an award-winning speech, thanking the provincial government, the Provincial Department of Science and Technology and the Academy for their affirmation and commendation of the Sino-Japanese fruit tree cooperation research and his own work, and said that he would continue to play his role in promoting the in-depth development of scientific research with the Academy.

The "Yanzhao Friendship Award" is a special government award set up by the Hebei provincial government to recognize foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to the economic construction and social development of the province. It is the highest honor award by the provincial government to foreign experts. In 2022, 20 foreign experts have won this honor.

（Source from www.hebnky.com）