The Ceremony of the Chinese Government Friendship Award was recently held in Beijing honoring foreign experts for their significant contribution to the nation's development. Professor Tatsuo Arai from Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) was honored with the 2025 award.

The Chinese Government Friendship Award is the highest award established by the Chinese government to honor foreign experts who have made outstanding contribution to China's modernization drive.

BIT Professor Tatsuo Arai

Professor Tatsuo Arai is a renowned expert in the field of international robotics. He is a specially-appointed professor at BIT and an emeritus professor at the University of Osaka. He previously served as a professor at the University of Osaka and the director of the Advanced Robotics Research Institute.

In 2016, he was selected for China's National High-Level Overseas Talent Program and has since been working full-time in China. He has led projects such as the National Natural Science Foundation of China for senior foreign scholars, general projects, and the Beijing Natural Science Foundation for foreign scholars.

He has published over 600 academic papers in journals including Nature/Science sub-journals, IEEE Transactions on Robotics, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering, as well as at conferences in the field of robotics such as ICRA and IROS. He has received several honors, including the Beijing Great Wall Friendship Award and the Beijing International Cooperation Zhongguancun Award.