The provincial government of the province of Henan held a celebration for National Day as well as the awarding ceremony of the 2020 Yellow River Friendship Award. The Governor of Henan, Yin Hong, delivered a speech at the ceremony and presented the awards. The Founder, and Chairman of the Board of Sias University, Dr. Shawn Chen, a winner of the Yellow River Friendship Award in 2004, was invited to attend the function.

On behalf of the Communist Party Committee and the government of the province of Henan, Yin Hong congratulated the winners and paid tribute to the representatives of Henan who won individual awards and collective awards for their work in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. He extended his greetings to the people of Henan, PLA officers, and police officers for the National Day holiday. He also expressed his gratitude to international friends, foreign experts, and overseas Chinese who contributed to the development of Henan.

Yin Hong said that the Yellow River Friendship Award is the highest honor awarded by the provincial government of Henan to recognize international friends, foreign experts, and overseas Chinese who have contributed to the opening up, economic development, and social progress of Henan. The winners of the Yellow River Friendship Award in 2020 include people who have contributed to the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, scientists, entrepreneurs, doctors, and teachers. These people have promoted Henan's growth in foreign trade and economic cooperation, invested in Henan, or contributed to the science & technology and education in Henan.

Yin Hong also said that in recent years, Henan had implemented the directives of the Central Government under President Xi Jinping, including the ideas for development, quality, and its growth into an economically strong province.

Other provincial leaders who attended the Yellow River Friendship Awards celebration were Member of the Provincial Standing Committee and Head of the Henan Provincial United Front Work Department, Sun Shaogang; Commander of the Henan Military District, Chen Zhaoming; Vice Governor of Henan, Xu Jichao; Vice Governor of Henan, He Jinping; and the Vice-Chairman of the CPPCC Provincial Committee of Henan, Qian Guoyu.

During the ceremony, Dr. Shawn Chen spoke about Sias University's mode of education which included a 'liberal education', 'holistic education', and an 'integrated education', in combination with the integration of production and education. He also spoke about Sias' residential college system and the advantages of international cooperation for the running of the university.