Representatives from the two Anhui-based companies pose with their awards at the 2018 China State Science and Technology Awards ceremony in Beijing on Jan 8. [Photo from WeChat account hefeigaoxinfabu]

Two companies based in the Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone in East China's Anhui province won second State Science and Technology Progress Award in Beijing on Jan 8. 

The awards have been issued by the Ministry of Science and Technology annually since 2000 to honor the unsung heroes who have helped China stand tall in the world of scientific knowledge and technology. 

Anhui Anke Biotechnology Co, a company dedicated to the research, development and production of genetic engineering drugs, stood out for its innovative theoretical, technological and practical breakthroughs in proteinoid drugs. 

Anhui Keli Information Industry Co, a nationally-recognized software enterprise, was given an award for its technological progress and application in large-area road and traffic coordination. 

They received a 50 percent increase in prize money, the ministry said in an online statement, which "fully embodies the care and support the Party and the nation have for science workers". 

The overall quality and global impact of the winning projects have improved in recent years, according to the National Office for Science and Technology Awards.