Roundup: China Prepares for Global Talent Challenge

After three years' silent reforms inside its structure, China's top research body announced its largest ever head-hunting endeavor, inviting 500 overseas personnel for the country's scientific enhancement.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) plans for an investment of 1 billion yuan (120 million US dollars), sponsored by the state, for inviting gifted scientists over the next five to ten years.

Meanwhile, the national scientific academy expects to cultivate its own prestigious researchers and world-leading experts in various fields.

"Personnel will be the last straw deciding the result of global scientific competition," Lu Yongxiang, the CAS president, said at a meeting on human resources which ended Monday.

"China is trying all out to find excellent scientists throughout the world," said Lu, who is also a CAS academician.

As it steps into the World Trade Organization (WTO), China is being confronted with challenges from international institutes and research organs of multinational companies, experts said.

Some of developed countries like the United States and Germany have adopted favorable policies to attract scientists to join their scientific research programs.

It is learned that Germany plans to allocate 82 million US dollars for cultivating its own young scientists and attracting outstanding researchers from all over the world.

At the same time, the British government decided to improve the yearly wages of its scientists by seven percent. (more) nnnn "The competition for scientific personnel is fierce," said Bai Chunli, vice president of the CAS.

While streamlining their inside structure, Chinese research organs must improve their all-round environment in order to draw on well-know specialists and keep them in China, said the CAS academician Bai.

Besides the necessary research facilities, the CAS vows to provide the scientific personnel with more attractive salary than their incomes in overseas institutes.

In the past three years, the CAS has invited 429 domestic and overseas scientists, 390 or 91 percent of whom were from overseas institutes.

Bai said that most of those invited are academic leaders or backbone researchers in the CAS.

Those leading scientists understand the international trends of scientific development and can mastermind national key research projects, Bai said.

"China severely needs those kind of people," he said.

The CAS also provides a stage for young scientists. They are encouraged to carry out international academic exchange and cooperation.

While keeping abreast of the world level in most scientific areas, the CAS expects aim to make some breakthroughs in a few fields, Bai said.






People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/