The Friendship Medal (Chinese: 友谊勋章; pinyin: Yǒuyì Xūnzhāng) is, alongside the Medal of the Republic, the People's Republic of China's highest order of honour. On December 27, 2015, the National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) passed a law establishing two national medals, the Medal of the Republic and the Friendship Medal, constituted on January 1, 2016. The Friendship Medal is bestowed on foreigners who have made outstanding contributions to China's socialist modernization, the promotion of exchange and cooperation between China and foreign countries, and the protection of world peace. All the recipients have cooperated and participated actively in supporting China's social, cultural, economic and international developments to various degrees. The first Friendship Medal was awarded by President Xi Jinping to Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, on June 8, 2018. Source: Wikipedia (en)