China is in urgent need of senior foreign professionals with innovative, decision-making and management skills, said Liu Yongzhi, of China's State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA), on Wednesday in Shenyang.

Liu was speaking at the Conference on International Exchange of Professionals (CIEP) and High-Tech Exhibition, sponsored by the SAFEA.

Liu said China's domestic human resource market could meet demand for middle and lower-level professionals, but senior professionals with the innovation, management, decision-making and consultancy skills required by research and development centers of enterprises and universities were still needed from abroad.

The number of foreign experts introduced to China has been rising rapidly. During the early years of reform and opening up in the 1970s, China accepted just 1,000 foreign experts and professionals each year. The number now reaches up to 400,000 annually.

Last year China introduced 340,000 foreign experts and professionals.

China's predominant demand for foreign professionals previously came from the manufacturing sector, but this has diversified to fields such as education, scientific research and the service sector.

Liu said the country's rapid economic growth had made it more attractive to foreign experts. Remuneration in some fields was now similar to that of developed countries.

Source: Xinhua