Charles Reay Mackay. [Photo/Jinan Daily]

As Confucius famously said, "It is delightful to have friends coming from afar."

In 1993, Charles Reay Mackay, a fellow of the Australian Academy of Sciences and winner of the Chinese Government Friendship Award, came to China for the first time. Although his memory of that time is blurry, the experience of going abroad more than 30 years ago gave him an indissoluble bond with China.

Mackay received his doctorate from the University of Australia in 1987 and was elected a fellow of the Australian Academy of Sciences in 2009. He is highly accomplished in the fields of basic research in immunology and the development and transformation of therapeutic products. During his teaching career in Australia, he has coached many outstanding Chinese students.

In 2017, at the recommendation of one of his Chinese students, Mackay, who has always had a love for science and high hopes for China's future, came to China and became the chief expert specially appointed by the Shandong Academy of Sciences. "I was blown away by the enthusiasm for medical research in China, and for me, the opportunity in Jinan was really ideal, as I was able to put together a team to carry out large-scale projects that would be difficult to achieve in Australia, where research funding is very tight, so for me, coming here was a no-brainer."

Mackay co-founded Shandong Shanwei Immune Technology Co with Shandong Academy of Sciences and Shandong SCI-TECH Innovation Group Co. Based on his original axis theory of "nutrition - intestinal flora - physiological function", he developed relevant prevention and treatment drugs and health products for immune system diseases such as ulcerative colitis and systemic lupus erythematosus and the immune imbalance of the body.

"Our company is focused on understanding and identifying important beneficial gut microbiota metabolites, chemically binding to a starchy skeleton structure, and then intervening in human disease in a way similar to food or traditional Chinese medicine, which is a revolutionary product that is safer than traditional chemical drugs." Mackay said that when he first arrived in Jinan, Shandong province, he had nothing more than some innovative ideas. But after several years of hard work, he has put together a strong team and set up a company. Now, those ideas can be realized, and it is possible to make significant breakthroughs in the future.

2022 was Mackay's fifth year in Jinan, and it was a special one for him. The awarding ceremony of the 2022 Chinese Government Friendship Award was held at the Great Hall of the People. Mackay, winner of the Chinese Government Friendship Award, was granted a meeting with the Chinese Premier of the State Council. "I will cherish this medal for the rest of my life. I am very proud of this honor," Mackay said.

The Chinese Government Friendship Award is the highest award established by the Chinese government which honors foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to China's modernization drive as well as reform and opening up. In recent years, 12 foreign experts in Jinan have won the Chinese Government Friendship Award, reflecting the strong contributions of foreign experts in Jinan in promoting high-quality development and building a modern socialist capital in the new era.

"I often go out on my bike. People often say hello to me, it's really nice," Mackay said. By the end of July 2024, Jinan had established friendly relations with 89 cities in 48 countries, of which 29 cities in 26 countries had become sister cities, and 60 cities in 36 countries had become friendly cooperation cities. The network of friendly cities covers five continents.