MADRID - Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei was on Thursday handed one of the two annual awards given by the Spain-China Council Foundation in a ceremony held at the historic Viana Palace in Madrid.

The Spain-China Council Foundation awards every year serve to highlight the contribution of one Chinese and one Spanish person or institution in bringing better understanding and closer relationship between the two countries.

The ceremony was attended by Spanish Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Minister, Alfonso Dastis, the Ambassador of the Peoples Republic of China to Spain, Lyu Fan and Foundation President, Juan Llado, as well as prominent figures from the Spanish and Chinese Communities in Madrid.

"This time it was easy," said Llado, explaining how the 2018 award winners were chosen.

"Huawei is known by everyone. Today we all know who Huawei are, but we didn't in 2001 when they came here... We have to thank them because they came to Spain and invested," he said, adding that without the company Spain "would be further away from China."

Mr Llado explained Huawei had been a pioneer in investing in Spain and had opened the door for other companies to invest in the country.

Huawei Spain's CEO, Tony Jin Yong accepted the award for Huawei and repeated the company's commitment to the Spanish economy and thanked the Huawei's Spanish clients.

He said Huawei now has six offices in Spain and employs around 1,200 people, most of whom are Spanish.

"We are key in the Spanish economy... we have contributed to the telecommunications market in Spain, launching 5G products and services and working with the Spanish government in this project," he continued, adding Huawei wanted to be a "pioneer" in 5G rollout in Spain.

Jin Yong also discussed the company's commitment to education and training a new generation of Spanish students in the fields of telecommunication.

Olympic Badminton gold medalist two times World Champion, Carolina Marin, also received an award at the glamorous event, although she could not be present to accept her award, which was collected by her mother.