The following notice describes three different Chinese government programs designed to recruit foreign talent in 2020 in support of China’s economic development, particularly in tech fields. The notice explains the purpose of each talent program and provides information about the application process and the benefits that they confer upon foreign experts whose applications they accept. All three programs require Chinese companies, universities, or research institutes to apply on behalf of the foreigners they wish to recruit; they do not allow foreign experts to apply independently.
Source: This notice circulated widely online in China. This translation is based on the version that the International
Exchange and Approval Office (国际交流与认证办公室) of Nankai University (南开大学) in Tianjin, China posted to the university website on January 10, 2020. This version includes a few more details about the talent plans than most other versions available online in China.
The Chinese source text is available online at:
https://bs.nankai.edu.cn/_upload/article/files/50/76/1ccb741b40bc9c8de51bd61dab83/c47f1393-0250-47ac-a
458-e8d230491830.docx
The URL above appears as a link in the following Chinese-language posting on the Nankai University website:
https://bs.nankai.edu.cn/2020/0110/c10085a263390/page.htm
Translator: Ben Murphy, CSET Translation Lead
The High-End Foreign Expert Recruitment Plan
I. Purpose of the Plan
Serve the construction of an innovation-oriented country (创新型国家). Meet the requirements of China’s economic and social development in key industries and domains. Focusing on the four domains of strategic S&T development, industrial technology innovation, social and ecological construction, and the rejuvenation of agriculture and rural areas, place emphasis on the recruitment of scientists, S&T leading talent (科技领军人才), management talent, and innovative and entrepreneurial talent who can advance original innovation, make breakthroughs in key technologies, develop high- and new technology, and push forward emerging disciplines.
II. Areas of Emphasis
The “High-End Foreign Expert Recruitment Plan” chiefly supports the following four domains:
A. Strategic S&T Development. Principally focusing on the requirements for national major S&T innovation and the S&T Innovation 2030 Major Projects, recruit foreign experts who undertake cutting-edge and basic research, S&T industry innovation, and engineering and technology innovation. Aggressively recruit (大力引进) those whose research interests are in international cutting-edge S&T fields. Recruit top talent who undertake exploratory, original, and innovative research, who can lead the nation’s major scientific research tasks and major engineering projects, and who possess the potential to achieve major breakthroughs in key and core technological fields. Continue to promote strengthened open cooperation on China’s national S&T plans. Actively encourage the in-depth participation of foreign scientists in China’s national S&T plans. Give priority support to these types of projects.
B. Industrial Technology Innovation. Focusing on industrial transformation and upgrading, innovative development, and the implementation of the “go global” (“走出去”) strategy, aggressively recruit all sorts of innovative technology talent. Promote new breakthroughs in key technologies, production and the industrial arts, and product design. Produce major economic and social benefits. Recruit high-level foreign experts to make breakthroughs in the research, development, and application of new generation information technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), 5G, cloud computing, big data, the Internet of Things (IoT), and blockchain. Promote R&D of technologies such as rare earth materials, semiconductors, and fuel cells. Strengthen biotechnology R&D. Accelerate the development of ocean S&T (海洋科技). Support the recruitment of entrepreneur and strategic planner foreign experts capable of transnational operations management and cross-cultural management.
C. Social and Ecological Construction. Focus on recruiting foreign experts who can advance green development, resolve prominent environmental problems, and advance the protection of ecological systems, and who can play an important role in the construction of a “Beautiful China” and in implementing the strategy of coordinated and sustainable regional development.
D. The Rejuvenation of Agriculture and Rural Areas. Serve the strategy of rejuvenating rural areas. Spearhead the priority development of S&T innovation in agriculture and in rural areas. Aggressively recruit foreign agricultural experts who fit into the national agricultural and rural development plan and the strategic arrangements for fighting deep-rooted poverty, and who can introduce superior foreign breeding, planting, and cultivation technology, safe production and production safety testing technology, and advanced modes of production and operations. Push forward high-yield, superior quality, high-efficiency, environmentally friendly, and safe modern agricultural development.
III. Application (申报) Requirements
A. Units eligible to apply: Legal entities such as companies, scientific research institutes, and universities that have been legally established within China’s borders.
B. Foreign expert or team (of 5 people or more) candidates must fulfill at least one of the following criteria:
A professional scholar with a position or title equivalent to assistant professor or above at a famous foreign university or scientific research academy;
Professional technical talent or managerial talent with high-level positions at famous international corporations and institutions;
Other high-level foreign talent urgently needed in China.
C. Duration of work in China: Experts who apply to work on individual projects should, in principle, work no fewer than one month per year in China. As for teams that apply to work on team projects, members should, in principle, work no fewer than two months per year in China.
D. The employer of a foreign expert must sign a salary contract with the foreign expert if the foreign expert stays in China for more than one month.
IV. Application Instructions
A. Each project unit (单位) is required to submit an application in accordance with the application notice.
B. Apply for projects based on the nature of the work (research topic or technical objective). Organizations hiring multiple foreign experts focused on the same type of work should apply as if this work is one project.
C. An organization may submit one application per year per project. If the project will continue over successive years, the applicant must specify this when applying. Projects will be subsidized for a maximum of three years. If the applicant wishes to apply for funding beyond this time limit, the applicant must submit an entirely new application for review.
IV. Support Provided for Projects
High-end foreign experts (or teams) whose projects are approved will receive funding from the Ministry of Science and Technology suitable to their projects. They will also enjoy perquisites (便利) and preferential treatment related to their work.
The “Belt and Road” Innovative Talent Exchange Project for Foreign Experts
I. Purpose of the Plan
In the spirit of the 2019 Second “Belt and Road” [the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road] International Cooperation Summit Meeting, advance, implement, and jointly build the “Belt and Road” S&T Innovation Action Plan.
II. Application Requirements
A. Units eligible to apply: Legal entities such as companies, scientific research institutes, and universities that have been legally established within China’s borders.
B. The focus is on key domains for bilateral and multilateral innovation and cooperation with the “Belt and Road” countries. These include cutting-edge domains such as AI, life sciences, high-end manufacturing, and modern agriculture. Support high-level foreign experts from the countries along the “Belt and Road” in coming to China to launch academic exchanges, talent cultivation, product R&D, technical consultations, and so on. Support foreign experts from the countries along the “Belt and Road” in coming to China to launch cooperative research in areas such as law and policy, economics and finance, humanities and history, and languages.
C. This project chiefly supports applications by teams (of five or more people). The members of the team must spend no fewer than two months per year working in China.
III. Application Instructions
A. Each project unit is required to submit an application in accordance with the application notice.
B. An organization may submit one application per year per project. Projects will be subsidized for a maximum of one year.
C. No project unit may submit more than three applications.
IV. Support Provided for Projects
Projects that are approved will receive suitable funding from the Ministry of Science and Technology. The foreign experts (or teams) will enjoy perquisites and preferential treatment related to their work.
The Young Foreign Talent Plan
I. Purpose of the Plan
Focusing on the national innovation-driven development strategy, support a cadre of young foreign talent who hold a favorable view of China (对华友好), are young and vigorous (年富力强), and have a high level of scientific research potential in coming to China to undertake scientific research cooperation to include postdoctoral research. Encourage young foreign scholars to develop long-term, stable academic exchanges and research work.
II. Application Requirements
A. Units eligible to apply: Legal entities such as companies, scientific research institutes, and universities that have been legally established within China’s borders.
B. As a general rule, the age of the young foreign experts should not exceed 40 (birthday January 1, 1980 or later); the expert must be the recipient of a doctoral degree from a foreign university.
C. The unit that applies must sign a work agreement with any personnel who receive subsidies.
III. Application Instructions
A. Each project unit is required to submit an application in accordance with the application notice.
B. Projects will be subsidized for a maximum of 1-2 years. After the first year’s subsidy is exhausted, those who have made good progress in their work and who continue to undertake relevant research work may apply for a subsidy for the following year.
IV. Support Provided for Projects
Young foreign talent whose projects are approved will receive suitable funding from the Ministry of Science and Technology. They will also enjoy perquisites and preferential treatment related to their work.