The First Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of the NAS of Belarus, Academician Siargiej Chyzhyk, was awarded the Friendship Prize medal, the highest prize awarded by the Government of the People's Republic of China to foreign professionals from various industries who have made an important contribution to the development of cooperation with China.

The award ceremony took place on September 30, 2024 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The official meeting was led by the State Secretary of the State Council of the People's Republic of China and the Minister of Human Resources and Social Security of the People's Republic of China. Siargiej Chyzhyk addressed the participants among the three scheduled speeches from the awardees. After the awards were presented, 73 representatives from 26 countries took part in a festive meeting on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, at which the participants were congratulated by Chinese President Xi Jinping.