Six Chinese government agencies, including Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, Ministry of Education, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Engineering, National Natural Science Foundation, and China Association for Science and Technology, jointly released on 26 December 2011 a medium and long term plan to attract more biotech talents during the period of 2010-2020.  

STF Human Resources Development Expert Prof. David Evans was a member of a group of 25 foreign experts working in China who were invited to a meeting with Premier Wen Jiabao in the Great Hall of the People on 12th January 2012. David took the opportunity to suggest to Premier Wen that in the past China had perhaps placed undue emphasis on trying to attract very senior people and that it was also important to attract talented young researchers who could build their early careers in China, as STF does, since this could bring great benefits to both sides.

After listening to comments and suggestions from the foreign experts, Wen Jiabao said that China welcomed foreigners with expertise to work in the country and that China will provide them with good working and living conditions. Extending greetings to the experts and their families, Premier Wen said China had scored hard-won development in 2011, which couldn't have been achieved without the support of foreign experts and friends. Wen said China is in a critical period of fast growth and transformation. The driving force of its economic growth relies increasingly on the development of science and technology and innovation in management, which require high-quality personnel including foreign experts, he said. China will pursue more favorable policies that will help attract more foreigners with expertise to work, he said, adding that governments should work to create better conditions for them to work and live.

Vice-premier Zhang Dejiang, Ling Jihua (secretary of the Central Secretariat of the CPC and the director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee), State Councilor Dai Bingguo and other state and party leaders also attended the meeting.  

 Call for papers

New European research on contemporary China

European Junior China Scholars Conference

July 6-7, 2012 Beijing

This conference aims to bring together doctoral candidates, post-doctoral researchers and recent PhDs based in China, either European nationals or affiliated with European research institutions, in order to produce an overview of the emerging problematics in Chinese studies. The focus of the conference is on contemporary China, in a multi-disciplinary perspective.

Organisers:

French Center for Research on Contemporary China (CEFC), Hong Kong and German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), Beijing.

Conference website: http://www.cefc.com.hk/rubrique.php?id=141&aid=737 or www.cefc.com.hk

Contact: Ms. Heipo Leung, cefc@cefc.com.hk

Dear friends, The Understanding Science scientific popularization talks are back in Shanghai for the second edition, on Thursday Dec 15 from 7pm to 8:30pm at the Wooden box cafe. This 2nd seminar, entitled “What PET Scan doh!?” will be presented by Doctor Eric AMIGUES from the school of pharmacy of East China University of Science and Technology. He will explain to you how the collaboration of physicists, chemists and medical doctors was necessary to create and operate Positron emission tomography (PET) Scan, an amazing diagnostic technique for metabolic troubles (e.g.

At Mogao Grottes, Dunhuang