Hangzhou hungry for global talents

More than 55,000 talents from around the world will gather in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province from Nov 9 to 24 to seek jobs and business opportunities at an annual talent conference.

The 2019 Hangzhou International Human Resources Exchanges and Cooperation Conference, with focuses on digital economy and new manufacturing, is crucial to attracting talented people, especially those from advanced fields, according to Chen Jian, deputy director of the city's organization department, at a news conference on Nov 4.

So far, 39 top experts including Nobel Prize laureates and 113 non-Chinese professionals have confirmed their participation. In addition, 228 universities and research institutes, 32 delegations of foreign experts, 867 overseas students and over 2,500 companies from 26 countries and regions are planning to showcase over 1,200 projects during the 15-day event in search of cooperation opportunities, Chen said.

This year, the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region will be a highlight at the talent conference. Chen said companies and institutes in the region will participate in matchmaking activities and job fairs to gather the best minds for the construction of the delta region.

Professionals in digital economy and new manufacturing, two key fields emphasized by the organizers, will be invited to help companies resolve technical problems, according to the official.

"We hope people can come and learn about Hangzhou's work and business climate, including policies regarding innovation and startups, as well as possible career paths," Chen said.

The Hangzhou International Human Resources Exchanges and Cooperation Conference has been held every year since 2009 with agreements on 1,406 projects worth a total of 19.54 billion yuan ($2.79 billion) having been signed.

Largely due to the annual conference, Hangzhou is becoming an increasingly popular destination for talents, and more are deciding to stay in the city to pursue their professional careers.

Hangzhou recorded a 13.6 percent net inflow rate of middle and high-end talent in 2018, ranking first in the country, according to a news conference on May 16. In the first half of 2019, the number was about 8.82 percent, dwarfing all other cities, according to a report by Liepin, China's leading job recruitment site.