Two Chinese scientists Friday morning gained the country's top scientific awards and 5 million yuan (US$602,400) each.

Computer scientist Wang Xuan, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), and physicist Huang Kun, who is also an academician of CAS, obtained the highest honor granted by the central authorities.

China started to launch the prize in 2000. Wu Wenjun, CAS academician, and Yuan Longping, CAE academician, got the first annual awards.

(Xinhua News Agency February 1, 2002)