China to develop Greater Bay Area into a highland for talent

China aims to develop the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area into a highland for talent, says the development plan issued on Feb 18.

The Greater Bay Area is composed of nine cities in the Pearl River Delta region – Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan, Foshan, Zhuhai, Zhaoqing, Zhongshan, Jiangmen and Huizhou in Guangdong province – as well as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Macao Special Administrative Region.

The opening ceremony of the Greater Bay Area Youth UAV Contest is held on Oct 13, 2018, in Hong Kong to strengthen the youth's understanding of the Greater Bay Area and jointly cultivate more scientific talents. [Photo/IC]

The plan supports the nine cities in Guangdong province learning from the experience and practices of Hong Kong and Macao in attracting and creating a more attractive environment for high-end international talents. A more active, open and effective policy on talent introduction will be adopted to accelerate the construction of a Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao talent cooperation demonstration zone.

The plan also encourages the major cities in the region to carry out pilot programs for skilled migration as well as attracting foreign innovative talents who can enjoy national treatment if they establish scientific and technological enterprises in the region.

The plan supports the establishment of a national-level human resource service industrial park in the Greater Bay Area.

A list system of urgently needed personnel will be established to regularly release information on talents in short supply and expand channels for recruiting international talents.

The signing ceremony between the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Guangdong Bright Dream Robotics Co, a subsidiary company of Country Garden, one of the largest property developers in China, is held on Feb 20. The two are to jointly establish a research institute in Shunde district, Foshan, in South China's Guangdong province to develop Shunde into a highland for scientific and technological innovation by recruiting global talents and integrating all kinds of resources. [Photo/IC]

The plan encourages improving the accreditation criteria and open market-oriented channels of application for permanent residence for foreign high-level talents to provide them with more convenient conditions for working and living in China.

It will further improve the globally competitive talents-cultivating mode, strengthening international exchanges and cooperation, and promoting international mutual recognition of professional qualifications.

The incentive mechanism and the two-way flow mechanism for talented people will be improved to bring more convenience in the flow of talents across regions, industries and systems.

The plan also supports Macao in increasing its efforts to attract more innovative and professional service personnel, and further improving its talent structure.

The plan will explore ways, such as adopting statutory agencies or an appointment system, to introduce international high-level talents to participate in the construction and management of the Greater Bay Area.