An innovative plan will see Beijing further embrace foreign expertise as it pilots a green channel for expats seeking permanent residency and makes them more attractive offers to serve various industries.
The municipality's Chaoyang district－a conglomerate of service sectors and culture-related industries－unveiled a pilot zone under the Phoenix Plan last month in which the service sectors will enjoy greater openness to the outside world, according to the district government.
Foreigners with the required expertise working there will see a "green channel" opened for them should they seek permanent residency, and their applications "will be processed quickly".
Selected foreigners with proven expertise in their field will be granted not only financing support but also favorable services and assistance, including capital for entrepreneurs, housing, loans, market access, education and medical care.
Their spouses and children will be granted multiple entry visas or permission to apply for permanent residency, and their submissions will also be fast tracked, according to the plan.
The plan is in tandem with a move by the Ministry of Public Security that introduced a policy package in March covering 20 key areas to further facilitate foreign expertise obtaining permanent residency and support Beijing's innovation-driven development.
The high-tech hub of Zhongguancun in the city's Haidian district, opened a service hall that month to deal with any queries from foreigners working under the program. A key element of the package will see restrictions regarding sectors served by the foreigners scrapped.
Foreign staff employed by enterprises in Zhongguancun can directly apply for a five-year residency, with their work permit and an accreditation letter from the employer, according to the package.
When paying a visit to the service hall on March 1, Meng Hongwei, vice-minister of Public Security, noted that Beijing is the country's "main attraction for resources promoting innovation and entrepreneurship".
Wang Huiyao, director of the Center for China and Globalization, observed that China is looking for expertise from around the globe. "It is undertaking a shift in priority, from attracting businesses and capital over the past three decades, to introducing more expertise and brains over the next three decades," Wang said.
Beijing is desperate for foreign expertise, students, entrepreneurs, and Chinese expats coming home to start businesses, Wang added. Educational institutions in the city are also welcoming more foreigners to boost the teaching of English.
