The world's largest developing country is forging itself into a magnet for international expertise to help power its economic growth against the background of increasingly heated competition.

China is now introducing 400,000 overseas professionals -- half from foreign countries and half from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao -- to work in various fields every year.

"To introduce more internationally leading talented people into China has been termed a national strategy," said Su Guangming, deputy director of the Department of Economic and Technological Experts with the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs.

As a conventional practice of developed countries, talent import is a "short-cut" for the country to fill in high-level talent when and where needed, according to Su.

He also revealed that the State Council has included in its job listings regulations dedicated to introducing additional foreign experts and treating them well.

The new "green card" system put into effect on August 15 enables foreigners in China to enjoy more freedom in travel, shopping and accommodations, as well as entering and exiting the country's ports.

"It is the job of the government to create a more favorable environment to ease the flow," Su added.

A promotional conference on the International Exchange of Professionals for Privately-owned Enterprises is to be held in Wenzhou of Zhejiang Province in late November.

With the theme of "promoting the development of privately-owned enterprises by importing more international expertise," the conference hopes to attract more internationally leading management and technical "brains" to the country.

(China Daily October 21, 2004)