Macao Monthly:
How will Shanghai Pudong New Area attract top global talents in the process of keeping abreast of global science and technology development, meeting major national needs in the economic battlefield, safeguarding people's lives and health, strengthening the transformation of scientific and technological achievements into actual productivity, improving the industrial chain, and building a world-class scientific and technological innovation industrial cluster? Thank you.
Weng Zuliang:
I will answer this question. Thank you for your question. We all know that talents are the primary resource. The total number of talents in Pudong has reached 1.55 million. To complete the major tasks assigned by the central government to build the pioneer area, it is necessary to further gather global talents. Pudong will grow into a pacesetter for attracting talents from around the world.
In recent years, Pudong has established China's first overseas talent bureau and an international talent hub integrating functions for providing talent services and allocating human resources. It has taken the lead in issuing a series of innovative policies to improve the flow of overseas talents and the convenience of work. For example, we took the lead in achieving "services to be accessed via one website" for overseas talents to work in China. We issued China's first permanent resident identity card linked to a pilot free trade zone, the first work permit for foreign students with a bachelor's degree, the first batch of work permits for foreign entrepreneurs, and the first batch of business licenses for technological companies established by high-level foreign talents holding the permanent resident identity card.
In General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech at the grand gathering to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the development and opening-up of Shanghai's Pudong, he described how Pudong should take the lead in implementing more open policies for facilitating the attraction of talent. Pudong, in accordance with the requirements of the general secretary and with the support of relevant national and municipal departments, continues to strengthen opening-up and innovation of talent policies. It is also piloting the launch of policies for foreign talents to conveniently purchase foreign currency with their salary and special medical insurance policies for foreign talents. We also set up pilot areas to carry out national immigration policies and implemented immediate approval of work permits for high-level foreign talents.
Looking forward, we will work to carry out reform concerning the mutual recognition of the foreign talents' certificate, establish a one-stop referral system for foreign talents' permanent residence in the Pudong New Area, and push for the right of review on high-end foreign talents. We will also gradually relax restrictions on the employment of foreign talents in professional sectors and introduce a list system recognizing international vocational qualifications. In the meantime, we are working for a better environment concerning career development and living conditions of talents so that talents around the world are able to be introduced, stay, and develop in Pudong and give full play to their talents here. Thank you.
