The Qingdao Municipal Government hosted a ceremony on April 12 to award scientists with great contributions to Qingdao's development in 2011.

Top prizes for Qingdao's Science and Technology in 2011 went to Yuan Yeli, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Han Fangyu, a professor from Qingdao University of Science and Technology.

First prizes were given to more than 20 scientific inventions, research results and experts in areas of natural science, scientific breakthroughs and international cooperation. Among them, the first prize for technology progress was awarded to the "research and application of extracting natural fiber and cellulose".

Qingdao Mayor Zhang Xinqi said that promoting scientific innovation is vital to building up a marine-related economy, developing high-tech industry clusters and optimizing the city's industrial structure. The city has been striving to develop into a "Blue Silicon Valley" after the Shandong Peninsula Blue Economic Zone became a national strategy last year.

Qingdao has made great achievements in implementing the intellectual property right strategy and making breakthroughs in key technology areas. More efforts are needed to fulfill an eco-environment for employment and innovation, the mayor said.

Qingdao will give priority to the construction of the "Blue Silicon Valley" to build itself an innovation model zone for the nation's marine scientific research and for cultivating more talents and organizations, he added.

By Xie Chuanjiao and Huang Yaning (China Daily Qingdao Bureau)