Premier: Talented foreigners welcome to start and develop careers in China

Special Report:Global Financial Crisis

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (3rd R) meets with representatives of foreign experts and their relatives at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 20, 2009. (Chinese media/Liu Jiansheng)
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BEIJING, Jan. 20 (Chinese media) -- Chinese Premier Wen

Jiabao here Tuesday welcomed foreigners with talent to start and develop their

careers in China.

Wen said China will sincerely work with foreign

experts to overcome the current difficulties and address the global financial

crisis.

Wen made the remarks at a meeting with 19

representatives of foreign experts who have helped the reform and opening up of

China for a long time.

Some of the foreign experts, including John Macdonald

who works for Chinese media, made presentations to Premier Wen and other senior

government officials.

Wen listened attentively to their speeches and

exchanged views.

China will always adhere to the opening up policy and

continue to introduce advanced foreign technology, expertise in management and

talents in a bid to secure powerful intellectual resources for maintaining fast

yet steady economic growth and effectively address the global financial crisis,

Wen said.

He said the year 2008 was an extremely unusual year

for China's development. And under the leadership of the Communist Party of

China, the Chinese people of all ethnic groups worked still harder in solidarity

with one heart and one dream, went from victory to victory in the face of grim

challenges.

These achievements in various areas are imbued with

the talented foreigners wisdom, hard work and friendship, Wen said, adding that

the Chinese people will always remember and appreciate their outstanding

efforts.

"China's reform, opening up and modernization drive

cannot be in isolation from the world," he said.

Wen said talented foreigners coming to work in China

reflects their confidence in China's future.

The Chinese government will perfect a relevant system

and policies, improve management and service, so as to create a favorable

working environment for foreign experts and scholars in China, Wen said.

Wen also extended festival greetings to all foreign

experts and international friends working in China as well as their families. He

expressed gratitude for their contributions to the country's development.

According to the State Administration of Foreign

Experts Affairs of China, foreign talents paid about 480,000 visits to the

Chinese mainland for work last year. The foreign talents made contributions to

various fields of China's development such as the earthquake relief efforts in

Sichuan Province.