China to attract more experts from CIS countries

In Suifenhe, a city in China's northernmost Heilongjiang Province, visitors crossing the Sino-Russian border have swung to a record-high 1.17 million arrivals in 2004.

In this crowd, many are the top-notch talents from Russian who come to contribute to China's sizzling economy with their knowledge and experience.

Experts attending the national meeting of foreign experts affairs, held here Tuesday, said the momentum of talents introduction from Russia should be furthered.

Wan Xueyuan, the head of State Administration of Foreign Experts Agency (SAFEA) said China will attract more experts from Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries.

"China enjoys a bond with CIS countries, especially northeastern provinces such as Liaoning, Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang," said Wan. "We can lure more top scientists from there through geographical ties and historical relations."

According to statistics of SAFEA in 2003, the largest overseas talents flow come from Japan, Korea and US, accounting for 62.39 percent of overall arrivals; Russians account for only 4.66 percent.

But considering the dense gathering of talents in the three provinces, the trend can not be underestimated.

In north China Heilongjiang province, 70 percent of foreign experts who are currently working there come from CIS countries (mainly from Russia).

"We are proud that 85 percent of incoming Russian experts enjoy doctoral degrees and some are academics," said Xu Hongguang, the head of Heilongjiang Foreign Experts Agency.

"Russia is a bonanza of talents, it has its own silicon valley which accounts for 70 percent new high technology in Russia," said Xu. "The experts in China are not only here to contribute efforts for cutting-edge technology, but also many civilian use technology."

According to Xu, in 2005, Heilongjiang will encourage more Russian and Ukraine experts come to China, to offer assistance for such endeavors as setting up crisis-prevention systems in mining pits, community economy developing and eye disease treatments.

In Liaoning, the officials responsible for recruitment have put more efforts on professional education.

In conjunction with Russian Science Academy, Liaoning has signed a contract for the establishment of high-tech transfer center to digest hundreds of technology from Russia.

Shenyang Engineering University has also cooperated with Tomskaya Polytechnic University to upgrade China's skill in the fields of material science and nano-technology.

Ever since 2001, CIS countries have provided 1,343 high-tech achievements to Liaoning; In 2004, 278 cooperation contracts were signed in the Liaoning investment and cooperation symposium, with a volume of 2.5 billion US dollars.

"Behind the Russian experts fever, there are many contributors," said Yuan Xudong, one official from SAFEA. "Such as China's booming manufacturing business and China's new attitude to foreign experts which is set more on efficiency and less on face value."

Source: Xinhua