59 foreign experts in SND included in city talent project

Fifty-nine experts recruited to Suzhou New District from overseas were recently included in the city's Seagull Project 2021, local media outlets reported.

SND brought in more experts than any other district or county-level city administered by Suzhou. A total of 377 foreign experts in SND were included in the project, receiving over 23 million yuan ($3.61 million) in financial aid.

Seagull Project, which was first put forward in 2011, is meant to help Suzhou bring in overseas professionals and promote economic innovation and development. It encourages enterprises, colleges and universities, scientific research institutions, and all kinds of social organizations to bring in overseas talent for project cooperation, technical guidance, training and consultation.

The 59 experts brought into SND are from countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan and South Korea and are involved in fields such as new energy, new-generation information technology, intelligent manufacturing, and biomedicine.

The experts are expected to improve the research quality of local companies and play a greater role in supporting and promoting technological innovation in SND.

SND has been striving to improve its living and working environment for foreigners. It has optimized residence services for foreign talent, extended the stay period for overseas Chinese applying for visas or residence permits to a maximum of five years, and extended working visas for foreigners to a maximum of five years. It has also launched a series of measures concerning the accommodation, medical treatment, children's schooling, and social exchange needs of foreign talent.