America investor Patrick McGovern, founder and chairman of International Data Group (IDG), yesterday became the first foreigner to win the International Investment Achievement Award at the CCTV China Economic Leadership Awards.

He won the award in recognition of his great contribution to China's information industry and venture capital field, said CCTV.

"I am so honored to win this award," said McGovern, who was making his 102nd visit to China. "IDG invests in over 40 countries, but our results in China are the highest because of its people who are intelligent, honest, hardworking, and very enterprising."

IDG was the first American IT service company entering the Chinese market. In 1980, McGovern launched China Computerworld weekly, the first and only Sino-US joint venture in the media sector.

So far, IDG has more than 30 magazines and newspapers in the fields of computer technologies, electronics and telecommunications by means of joint venture or cooperative publishing in China.

"The publication speeded up the development of China's IT industry," said Liu Chuanzhi, the founder of computer maker Lenovo.