Ninth Wave (1949-1977) 第九次留學熱

 Key Words: 1950, the CPC, socialist construction

Major Destinations: Former Soviet Union and other socialist countries in Eastern Europe

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the CPC and the central government decided to send a great number of students and scholars to the former Soviet Union and other socialist countries in Eastern Europe, with the aim of bringing home advanced science and technology and management expertise to spur the construction of its socialist society.

The programs began in 1950, and more than 10,000 Chinese nationals were sent abroad in the 1950s and 1960s. These personnel later all came back and became the backbone for China's industrial development. Those who studied in the former Soviet Union in the 1950s included many of China's third-generation leaders, including former Chinese President Jiang Zemin, former Vice Premier Zou Jiahua, former Premier Li Peng, and former Vice Premier and Foreign Minister Qian Qichen.