Chinese Premier Li Keqiang meets with a group of foreign experts and their relatives, who had recently received the Friendship Award, given annually by the Chinese government to honor outstanding foreign experts in China, in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 30, 2018. Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng also attended the meeting. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

BEIJING, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Sunday that foreign talent and intellectual resources was an important component of China's innovation system.

Li made the remarks when meeting at the Great Hall of the People with a group of foreign experts who had recently received the Friendship Award, given annually by the Chinese government to honor outstanding foreign experts in China.

He spoke highly of the important contributions made by foreign experts to promote China's economic and social development, and exchanges between China and foreign countries.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up, Li said. "China's determination to advance reform and opening-up will never change with the reform and opening-up being intensified," he said.

"China will further ease market access, implement just and fair supervision, guarantee fair competition of different ownership subjects, and work to create an open, transparent, stable and expectable market and law environment for domestic and foreign enterprises as well as all kinds of talent."

Li said China welcomed more foreign experts to play a bigger role in the country's innovation development and hoped that domestic and foreign talent could work together to promote the innovation and progress of world science and technology and civilization, as well as the healthy development of economic globalization.

"China will make no exception in providing more opportunities to all talent and will protect intellectual property rights in a stricter way," Li said, adding China will continue to implement a more active, open and effective talent introduction policy, and will provide more convenience for foreign talent working in China.

Foreign experts said they would continue to make contributions to China's development and progress of human civilization. The foreign experts and their relatives were invited to attend a reception celebrating the 69th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.