The prize was set up to award outstanding foreign diplomats in the UK and to reaffirm their diplomatic success. The prize constitutes eight categories, including the Youth Diplomat of the Year, Diplomat of the Year for Asia, America, Middle East, Europe and Africa, the Best State Visit of the Year and Lifelong Diplomatic Achievement in London. Judges, in the number of 20, came from embassies in UK, the Diplomat magazine and sponsors.

Ambassador Fu Ying was awarded Asian Diplomat of the Year after unanimous agreement among the judges. When introducing her background, the chair said, she has worked hard to help the UK and EU understand more about her home country; she illustrated China's position and measures in this financial crisis and its domestic and external policies in a candid and humane way hardly seen before. During his visit to the UK early this year, Chinese Premier committed that China is ready to advance partnership through mutual understanding, respect and learning. Ambassador Fu has fully shown, through her work, that China hopes to achieve peace and development through cooperation and play a bigger role in countering shared international challenges, to deliver the ultimate goal of building a harmonious world. The effective communication between Ms. Fu and the media and the UK leadership has kept us well informed of the thoughts of her government and people.

Ms. Fu Ying thanked the magazine and the judges, attributing the honour to the hard work of all embassy colleagues and expressing her commitments to continue to foster friendship and cooperation between China and the UK.