Source: CCTV.com

01-22-2007 17:08

The so-called "brain drain" has long been a challenge in China. Hundreds of thousands of highly qualified Chinese people have gone to work overseas and haven't returned. But recently there have been changes to this trend. In today's Asian labor series, Wang Xin finds out what's happening in the workplace and why trends are changing.

This is one of China's top universities, Peking University. Its students are known for their dynamic way of thinking that often differs from tradition. But not so different when it comes to what they will do after graduation.

"I am going to pursue further education in Europe." A college student said.

"I will go to the University of Minnesota to pursue a master's degree." Another said.

The fact is, the answers have been like this for many years. Many young Chinese, most of them college graduates, decided to go abroad for further education or work.

Government figures show that over the past quarter century, nearly 800,000 Chinese have gone abroad to study, either government-funded or self-sponsored. And how many returned? Less than a quarter. That phenomenon is normally called the 'brain drain'. However, in recent years, that has been changing.

The world's fastest growing economy has made China the magnet for capital and human resources.

While the pull of far-away places remains, the number of Chinese returning to their homeland has also been on the rise. More than 20,000 came back last year alone.

Fan Deshang of Peking University said "With China joining the WTO, more and more foreign investment will flow into China. And with that, more and more talents are coming into the country."

To keep up the momentum, government policy measures have been adjusted. Returnees are no longer asked to stay permanently.

Liu Baoying of Ministry of Personnel said "We encourage them to serve the country in various ways. They may not need a permanent residence. They may come back for short visits, such as giving lectures, diagnosis, consultancy. The policy is very flexible and very much welcomed by the returnees."

Wang He is one of those returnees. He came back three years ago from Australia and now works in an American company in Beijing.

He said he likes the job because his overseas experience made him more adaptable to the company culture.

Wang He said "You can make proposals for what you will do in the area you cover. You choose the ways to complete the task and the boss will just pay attention to the result instead of the process."

Many overseas returnees are having similar experiences, working in a overseas-owned businesses, if not starting their own. For one reason or another, Chinese-owned businesses or government agencies are not attractive enough for overseas returnees or for other talented personnel. Some experts are concerned that this is a new form of brain drain. But the government appears not to be worried.

Liu Baoying said "Now we practice the greater talent perspective. There is no more so-called "in-" or "outside the system", there is even no such concept as "the system". All businesses are our economic entities. The government gives equal treatment to every talented person."

Officials shrug away the notion of a 'brain drain'. On the contrary, they say now is the time to embrace a 'brain gain'. To benefit from opportunities in the world's hottest economy, the government simply says: the earlier you come, the better.

In tomorrow's Asian working series, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Anh from Vietnam Television will bring you a story looking at micro-finance in rural Vietnam.

 

Editor:Du Xiaodan