Chinese Ambassador to the United Kingdom Fu Ying was awarded an honorary doctorate degree by the University of Kent at Canterbury on Wednesday.

During the 2008 degree-awarding ceremony at the university, Professor Thompson, who presented the degree to Fu, said that Fu, after being appointed ambassador to the United Kingdom, had made great efforts in promoting the development of China-UK relations.

Fu said the awarding was not just an honor for herself, but an encouragement for the promotion of understanding and cooperation between the Chinese and British peoples.

She said that China is now undergoing an historically unprecedented transformation and facing opportunities and challenges.

However, she said that China still has a long way to go in development, but believes that the Beijing Olympic Games, which kick off in one month's time, will surely usher in a new era of mutual understanding between China and the world.

(Xinhua News Agency July 10, 2008)