World Anti-Doping Agency president Craig Reedie delivers a speech at an international anti-doping symposium hosted by the China Anti-Doping Agency in Beijing on July 16. (Xinhua/Zhang Xu)

BEIJING, July 16 (Xinhua) -- World Anti-Doping Agency president Craig Reedie has made great contributions to the world anti-doping cause in his six years in office, according to Li Yingchuan, vice minister of China's State General Administration of Sport.

In a speech delivered at an international anti-doping symposium hosted by the China Anti-Doping Agency here on Tuesday, Li praised the outgoing WADA president for his achievements.

Reedie receives a special gift - traditional Chinese couplet - from Li Yingchuan, vice minister of China's State General Administration of Sport at an international anti-doping symposium hosted by the China Anti-Doping Agency in Beijing on July 16. (Xinhua/Zhang Xu)

"I would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude for president Reedie who has been very supportive of China's anti-doping work and given us a lot of help in the past six years," said Li.

"In his two terms as WADA president, Reedie managed to solidify support from various of signatories (of the WADA Anti-Doping Code), pushed forward reforms to make the organization more independent, transparent and powerful," he continued.

"I want to thank WADA and Reedie for what they have done in the world's fight against doping in sports," Li said, asking for a round of applause for Reedie from 78 participants of 33 countries and regions at the symposium.

Reedie is about to finish his second term at the helm of WADA, "a collaborative worldwide movement for doping-free sport" at the end of this year.

Polish sports minister Witold Banka is set to be elected the next president at WADA's fifth World Conference on Doping in Sport in Katowice, Poland in November.

Banka, 34, will start his three-year term on January 1, 2020.