This short Chinese official notice from 2011 provides details on China’s “Thousand Talents Program,” specifically the program’s procedures for recruiting and retaining non-Chinese foreign experts who can contribute to China’s S&T base.
The Chinese source text is available online at:
https://web.archive.org/web/20200502211227/http://renshichu.bit.edu.cn/docs/20150925153138638359.pdf
US $1 ≈ 7 Chinese Yuan Renminbi (RMB), as of July 8, 2020.
Translator: Etcetera Language Group, Inc.
Editor: Ben Murphy, CSET Translation Lead
Detailed Rules for the “Thousand Talents Program” High-Level Foreign Expert Project
(Notice No. 45 [2011] of the Communist Party of China Central Organization Department)
Chapter 1 General Provisions
Article 1 In order to attract more high-level foreign experts to participate in China’s modernization and to promote a deeper implementation of the “talent superpower” (人才强国) strategy, pursuant to the Opinions of the Central Coordinating Group on Talent on the Implementation of Overseas High-Level Talent Recruitment Programs (《中央人才工作协调小组关于实施海外高层次人才引进计划的意见》), the “Thousand Talents Program” (“千人计划”) High-Level Foreign Experts Work Platform has been established to implement the Thousand Talents Program High-Level Foreign Experts Project (the “Thousand Foreign Experts Program” (“外专千人计划”), specifically for non-Chinese [非华裔] foreign experts).
Article 2 The goal of the Thousand Foreign Experts Program is to follow the unified deployment of the Central Coordinating Group on Talent and focus on the needs of China’s economic and social development in key industries and key areas, recruiting 50-100 foreign experts each year over about 10 years so as to recruit 500-1,000 high-level foreign experts.
Article 3 Under the guidance of the Overseas High-Level Talent Recruitment Working Group (海外高层次人才引进工作小组) (referred to as the “Working Group”), the organization and implementation of the Thousand Foreign Experts Program is led by the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA; 国家外国专家局).1
Chapter 2 Work Organization and Responsibilities
Article 4 The main responsibilities of SAFEA as the lead organizer of the Thousand Foreign Experts Program include:
(1) Organizing and implementing the Thousand Foreign Experts Program recruitment catalog and annual execution plan;
(2) Organizing expert evaluations and proposing Thousand Foreign Experts Program candidates for recruitment;
(3) Coordinating the implementation of Thousand Foreign Experts Program projects, funding, and supporting measures;
(4) Taking responsibility for managing experts working in China under the Thousand Foreign Experts Program and for providing related services.
Article 5 The employer (用人单位) is the main entity that recruits and utilizes experts under the Thousand Foreign Experts Program and is responsible for specific work-related matters.
Chapter 3 Standards and Procedures
Article 6 The Thousand Foreign Experts Program currently focuses on the recruitment of long-term project experts (working in China for at least 3 consecutive years and no less than 9 months per year). Candidates shall meet the Thousand Talents Program talent recruitment standards. Taking into account the actual situation of foreign experts, the age limit of candidates can be relaxed to 65 years old.
Article 7 After the employer has approached the candidate to be recruited and reached a preliminary intention, the Thousand Foreign Experts Program recruitment report is filled out and submitted to the foreign expert affairs bureaus of various provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, and the foreign expert management departments of ministries and commissions.
Article 8 After SAFEA organizes experts to evaluate the candidates, they will report to the Special Projects Office for the Recruitment of Overseas High-Level Talents (referred to as the “Special Projects Office”).
Article 9 The Special Projects Office organizes an expert advisory group to conduct a review and then report to the Working Group for approval.
Article 10 The Special Projects Office issues a list of experts for recruitment under the Thousand Foreign Experts Program to relevant departments. Accordingly, the employer then signs a work contract with the expert recruited under the Thousand Foreign Experts Program, completes relevant procedures, and then guarantees that the expert under the Thousand Foreign Experts Program arrives for work on time according to the contract.
Chapter 4 Support Measures
Article 11 Experts under the Thousand Foreign Experts Program enjoy the specific policies and treatments of the Thousand Talents Program in terms of entry and exit, residence, medical care, insurance, housing, taxation, and salary.
Article 12 The central government grants a one-time subsidy of RMB 1 million per person to the long-term project experts under the Thousand Foreign Experts Program. According to work needs, the employer will provide a total subsidy of RMB 3-5 million for scientific research funds.
Article 13 SAFEA grants appropriate subsidies for experts under the Thousand Foreign Experts Program based on their working years in China. These subsidies are specifically used to improve their level of medical and old-age care.
Article 14 Long-term project experts under the Thousand Foreign Experts Program are awarded the title of “National Specially Enlisted Expert” (“国家特聘专家”).
Article 15 SAFEA is responsible for evaluating and supervising the work of experts under the Thousand Foreign Experts Program. If a foreign expert violates the contract, the employer shall file an application. Once reviewed by SAFEA, the matter is then reported to the Special Projects Office for approval. The project contract is then terminated, the matching support is suspended, and, as per the contract, part of the one-time subsidy and other payments are recovered.
Article 16 These rules shall be implemented from the date of promulgation, and the Special Projects Office shall be responsible for their interpretation.