The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) will invite more outstanding foreign scientists to work in China, said CAS President Lu Yongxiang on January 19.

The academy has already invited more than 30 overseas experts from North America and Europe to become science advisors, and is planning to expand such cooperation, Lu told an ongoing working conference of the CAS.

He said the CAS will try to attract overseas scientists who wish to work in China for an extended period of time, as well as those who can only come on a short-term basis. The academy will also invite overseas scholars as senior visiting scholars and help them establish research groups and laboratories in China.

The CAS already has 331 young overseas scientists working at the academy, and is striving to improve its environment and organization to attract more outstanding overseas personnel.

Last year, the Chinese government announced that it will grant 600 million yuan (72 million US dollars) to the CAS to employ 300 young and middle-aged overseas scientists working in China. This is the largest amount of money the government has ever provided for a project aimed at attracting overseas personnel.

The employment of foreign scientists is still at the preliminary stage, and the CAS plans to adjust its policy on such employment according to the results achieved by the foreigners. (Xinhua)