China's high-tech state-owned enterprises are snapping up hundreds of experts with overseas experience. The hiring blitz is part of big name SOEs' move into a new high-tech district of Beijing, called "Future Tech City". The district is among the government's latest measures to support China's innovation drive.
Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China is responsible for the national projects such as the design and development of large passenger aircraft. COMAC set up a research and development centre in the Beijing high-tech district and hired British Chinese aviation expert Li Dongsheng as its head. Li previously worked as a senior tech manager for an airline before returning to China. He has obtained two patents in aeroplane structure related technologies and now he and his team are researching composite materials for airplanes to fill in a blank in that part of the industry in China.
"What we lack most is technology on the basic level. When we are doing things we are often feeling constraints on the fundamentals. That is why we specifically focus on fundamental research, strategy, exploration, and cutting edge research," Li said.
Talents such as Li Dongsheng are exactly what China's state-owned tech companies are looking for. COMAC has brought in more than 30 high-level people from overseas to look over its plans to manufacture jetliners in China.
"We have hired 24 high-level talents who used to work in the aviation field overseas. Ten of them have been selected into China's top 1000 talentpool. They bring back advanced technologies, concepts. They are the leaders of our company," Li said.
Chinese energy giant Shenhua Group has also set up a facility in the high-tech Beijing district. The facility focuses on research on clean energy and carbon emission reduction techniques. The center has obtained more than 200 patents since it was established five years ago and has attracted 26 top foreign experts to its staff.
"I have lived overseas for over 30 years, I think culture over here is quite good. It encourages innovation, and tolerates failures. There are still many unknown technologies waiting to be discovered using our technologies from overseas. I think this provides a big opportunity for us," said Lai Shiyao at Shenhua Group.
Official data shows that more than 270 top experts from overseas have been attracted to companies in Beijing's high-tech district. More than 4,000 high-tech experts from overseas have been hired across China in cities such as Tianjin, Wuhan, and Hangzhou.