LONDON – Premier Wen Jiabao was awarded King Charles II Medal by the Royal Society in London Monday.

The medal is awarded to foreign heads of state or government who have made an outstanding contribution to furthering scientific research in England.

The award is only given in exceptional circumstances and is normally presented during a formal state visit. The first award was given to Japan’s Emperor Akihito in 1998.

Wen has a professional background in geology and engineering. He holds a postgraduate degree from the Beijing Institute of Geology (BIG), where he graduated in 1968. He was subsequently sent to Gansu province for geological work.

The BIG was the predecessor of China University of Geosciences.

The medal was also given to German Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2010 and to the former president of India, Abdul Kalam, in 2007.

The London-based Royal Society is a fellowship of the world’s most eminent scientists and is the oldest scientific academy in existence.