China taps top talents in the United States at high cost

China taps top talents in the United States at high cost (Reprinted by Sunbird) The Chinese government has become a pursuer of top talents from all over the world, especially the United States. The Chinese government 20...

(Reprinted by Sunbird)

The Chinese government has become a pursuer of top talents from all over the world, especially the United States. At the end of 2011, the Chinese government announced the "Thousand Talents Plan for Foreign Experts" to recruit 1,000 top foreign academic and business talents in the next 10 years to conduct innovative research. This means that elite scientists who have served at NASA will find new homes in Shanghai or Beijing. Previously, Chinese airlines poached hundreds of American pilots at high-paying pilot recruitment fairs in the United States.

In recent years, many Chinese universities have begun to hire a large number of foreign professors, which reflects the trend of Chinese universities. Not only that, the Chinese government has also started new projects to attract top foreign talents. Wang Huiyao (transliteration) of the Center for China and Globalization said, "We hope that more foreign professors can come to China."

China's scientific research laboratories and companies have a long history of difficulty recruiting suitable talents. As the high-tech industry grows and the proportion of R&D expenses increases, the talent gap may continue to increase. To this end, China has established a strategic layout that prioritizes the development of talents, and has carried out many activities to encourage overseas students to return to China, one of which aims to introduce 2,000 outstanding Chinese talents from the West.

This indicates that China will abandon the traditional "use Chinese" policy and increase its openness. Dennis Simon, an international affairs expert at the University of Oregon, said that China views talent as the next global competition to improve competitiveness and innovation, and is determined to win this competition to ensure the realization of its economic adjustment goals. The new talent pool is the key to moving from "Made in China" to "Created in China". But things don't always go their way.

However, Simon said that the best Chinese experts, especially those in the science and technology field, have not yet decided to return to China. Some are still waiting and watching. Family factors are also an important obstacle. Many Chinese talents do not want their children to suffer from China’s “gaokao hell”. Returnees alone cannot solve the innovation problem.

China’s biggest challenge is to create an environment more conducive to entrepreneurship, break the existing system and challenge conventions. Until more "unconventional" thinking is allowed and encouraged, China will not be able to innovate, and its laboratories and companies will not be able to produce the breakthrough new products that Beijing craves.

According to a report by China's official Xinhua News Agency in February, China has recruited more than 200 applicants since it launched the "Thousand Foreign Experts Program". Most of these experts are from the United States, Japan, Germany, etc. Wang Huiyao said that the "Thousand Talents Plan for Foreign Experts" is an expansion project of the "Thousand Talents Plan", and the "Thousand Talents Plan" has recruited 1,600 people, most of whom are Chinese academic talents.

According to the "Thousand Talents Program for Foreign Experts", each expert in China will receive a subsidy of more than 1 million yuan or nearly 160,000 US dollars, and scientific researchers can receive a research allowance of 3 million to 5 million yuan. Since it is difficult for researchers to obtain research funds in Western countries, Chinese investment naturally attracts many Western researchers who spend the New Year.

Previously, Bloomberg News reported that currently, due to the late retirement of American Airlines flight captains, pilots are facing the problem of difficulty in promotion. In addition, in recent years, affected by the economic recession, the growth of the U.S. aviation industry has slowed down, putting great pressure on pilot employment. Compared with American companies, Chinese airlines can provide pilots with more generous treatment.

The report quoted a co-pilot working for American Airlines as saying that if he went to work in China, he would not only be able to get the position of captain, but also get twice the current salary. Another co-pilot who has worked for the company for 13 years also said that he has decided to give up his job in the United States and go to work in China with his wife.

Data released by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAA) show that currently, there are only 24,000 pilots in China, and by the end of 2015, this number will reach 40,000. According to the relevant person in charge of China Spring Airlines

, there are currently 1,700 foreign pilots working in China.

At the same time, China Southern Airlines, which has the largest number of transport aircraft, the most developed route network and the largest annual passenger volume, recently stated that it will recruit 4,400 pilots in 2012, including 100 foreign pilots. Air China will also significantly increase the number of foreign pilots it recruits in 2012.

For American pilots who face difficulties in employment, promotion and poor prospects, the generous conditions provided by China are naturally very attractive. With the development of China's economy and the increase in the number of tourists from China and abroad, China's aviation industry will also provide broad development space for foreign pilots who come to China to work.