China is simplifying procedures to make it easier for top foreign talent to be granted permanent residency, a senior official in charge of foreign expert affairs has said.

Zhang Jianguo, head of the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, also told China Daily in a recent interview that China puts priority on courting more high-level foreign talent to speed up its economic and social development, including those with expertise in the environmental pollution and pollution treatment sectors.

Because current procedures for foreign experts to obtain permanent residency are complicated, China's top task force on talent is coordinating departments in an effort to fine-tune their service and speed up some procedures, Zhang said.