According to the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA), Mr. Massimo Martinelli, recommended by the Ministry of Environmental Protection, was awarded 2013 Friendship Award by the Chinese government.

Friendship Award was founded by the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, this award is given to foreign experts who have made outstanding contribution to China's economic and social progress. Fifty foreign experts from 20 countries received the 2013 Friendship Award, the Chinese government's top honor for foreign experts.

Mr. Massimo Martinelli has been dedicated to the Sino-Italian environmental protection collaboration over a long period of time. For more than 10 years, he has actively participated in bringing bilateral cooperation fund from Italian government. Leading the teams of Italian experts, he has actively supported the Chinese government on key environmental issues such as atmosphere and water and on international hot issues such as biodiversity through the programs. He also organized several projects boasting of advanced technologies and sound effects, which brought forward proposed many valuable advice, constructed landmark environment-friendly works and trained a great number of Chinese officials and experts in environmental protection. Mr. Massimo Martinelli has made remarkable contributions to China’s environmental protection and sustainable development.