A talent-themed summit takes place in Wuxi, Jiangsu province on Aug 26. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]
A group of top Chinese scientists from various academic backgrounds discussed the role of talent in China’s industrial development at a talent-themed summit in Wuxi, Jiangsu province on Aug 26.
The event invited 12 academicians from both China and abroad, as well as more than 200 members of the Thousand Talents Program –– China’s national program for attracting global talent to work in the country. Representatives of government departments, local institutes and companies also took part in the summit with an eye to possible future cooperation with high-level experts.
Li Xiaomin, Party secretary for Wuxi, outlined the achievements the city has made in developing advanced industries and emphasized the important role of talent in the development of society.
“Wuxi is one of the birthplaces of China’s modern industry and commerce, and the industrial and commercial genes of the city make it attractive for talented individuals,” Li said, adding that there are 1.6 million professionals in the city, 110,000 of whom are high-level, and 215 are from the Thousand Talents Program.
“During these past few years, the rapidly developing high-tech industries and advanced technologies in Wuxi, such as micro-electronics, the internet of things, and the supercomputer; have further raised the need for high-level professionals,” he said.
Six scientists –– Shi Yigong, famous biophysicist and vice-president of Tsinghua University; Ding Rongjun, fellow of the Chinese Academy of Engineering specializing in high-speed trains; Feng Jinzhang, vice-chairman of the Association of Thousand Talents Program; Yang Enhui, professor in information technology at the University of Waterloo; Du Jiangfeng, acting dean of the School of Physical Sciences at the University of Science and Technology of China; and Tang Xiao’ou, expert in artificial intelligence from the Chinese University of Hong Kong –– gave keynote speeches at the summit, introducing the latest developments in the high-tech sectors to interest attendees in innovation and start-ups.
Shi Yigong, vice-president of Tsinghua University, gives a speech on the development of talent introduction in China over the past 10 years at a talent-themed summit in Wuxi, Jiangsu province on Aug 26. [Photo/Wuxi information office]
Shi recalled the difficulties in recruiting overseas talent 10 years ago. However, with the country’s overall advancement and the increasing investment in basic research, Shi claimed that Tsinghua is now able to beat 90 percent of them when recruiting international professionals.
“The power of a country lies in its scientific and technological development, while the latter is mastered by talent,” Shi said.
Considering that higher education is essential to talent cultivation, he and some other Chinese scientists initiated a university project in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province, called Westlake University –– the first private research university in China which only enrolls doctoral students at the preliminary stage.
Yang pointed out that before seeking talented individuals, we should first identify society’s problems. He gave an example of data security which he stressed is vital to the future development of information technology.
The other speakers presented new innovations in high-speed trains, facial recognition, artificial intelligence, and physics.
The summit, which focused on how talent can boost intelligent manufacturing, was a major part of a conference on talent exchange organized by Wuxi government and the Association of Thousand Talents Program on Aug 26-27. The grand conference, also a business matchmaking event, aimed to attract hundreds of China’s leading researchers and projects to move to the city in Jiangsu province.
Focusing on professionals in high-tech industries, the conference would support Wuxi’s push to become a base for talent and advanced industries, said Zhou Ying, director of the organization department of Wuxi Party committee at a news conference on Aug 22.
A total of 12 academics, over 200 members of the Thousand Talents Program and representatives from companies, institutes and government departments attend the summit in Wuxi, Jiangsu province on Aug 26.
