More than 4,000 experts, scholars and technicians from universities, research institutes and enterprises will receive special government subsidies from the State Council in 2018, according to media reports on Wednesday.

There are many familiar names on the list, including CCTV hosts Bai Yansong and Kang Hui, actor Ni Dahong and writer Yan Lianke. Celebrities from academia and business circles were also included, such as Jin Canrong, deputy dean of the School of International Relations at Renmin University of China; Tan Xuguang, chairman of the Weichai group; Wang Haifeng, senior vice president of Baidu; and Xin Ming, professor of the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC.

File photo: Bai Yansong (left) and Kang Hui (right)

The government special allowance of the State Council is a reward mechanism for high-level professional and technical personnel and highly skilled personnel. Recipients are called experts with special State Council allowances.

In 1990, the CPC central committee and the State Council decided to grant special government allowances to experts, scholars and technicians who made outstanding contributions. At present, the subsidy is divided into monthly payments or a one-time payment. Before 1994, the monthly special government allowance was 600 yuan per person per month.

Starting from 2011, for those newly granted special government allowances, a one-time special allowance of 20,000 yuan will be paid to each person, and individual income tax will be exempted.

At the end of January 2018, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security made clear the selection criteria: those who have received special government allowances should have a Chinese nationality, abide by discipline and law, have good professional ethics, perform duties in an exemplary manner, and work hard for the cause of socialist modernization.

The selection of personnel is divided into two categories: professional and technical personnel and highly skilled personnel.