The large number of applicants reflects the increased interest in the mainland by Hong Kong professionals wishing to develop their careers as a result of China's entry to the World Trade Organization.

About 4,700 applicants were interviewed in the first-of-its-kind fair in Hong Kong. Some 1,200 may receive second-or third-round interviews on the mainland, according to the organizer, Hong Kong-based Manpower Resource Computing (MRC).

Speaking in a press briefing after the fair, Kenny Ng, general manager of MRC, said a Henan-based electrical appliance producer signed contracts on-the-spot with two Hong Kong professionals to fill the positions of deputy manager and international business development manager.

The company will offer annual pay packages ranging from 400,000 yuan (US$48,192) to 500,000 yuan (US$60,240) to the deputy manager and about 300,000 yuan (US$36,144) to the latter, both of whom have working experiences overseas and on the mainland.

Most of the mainland companies cannot decide immediately but carefully choose the applicants for second-round interviews, Ng said.

Work experience and communication skills, especially ability to speak putonghua, are the factors of greatest priority to mainland companies.

"We will prefer quality applicants who are mostly with good educational backgrounds and several years of relevant work experience," said Deng Fengyi of Huizhou-based TCL International Electrical.

"It seems easy for us to get marketing or management personnel here while difficult to get the technicians we want," he said.

For Guangzhou-based GF Securities Co., the applicant's age will also be considered.

"We believe young people can rapidly learn new things and adapt to a new environment, but age won't be the only standard; work experience is more important," said Cheng Huaiyuan, the company's human resource manager.

MRC's Ng said the recent economic downturn and lingering high jobless rate would prompt many Hong Kong people to try their luck on the mainland. But even more of them are attracted by the enormous development potential on the mainland and seek high positions or high pay.

A recent survey commissioned by MRC found that 32.1 percent of Hong Kong people would consider being posted on the mainland.

Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou were cited as the three most popular destinations for relocation by nearly 1,900 people who took part in the survey.

With China's entry into the WTO, Chinese companies, in particular those from the financial and insurance sectors, are willing to recruit talents from the world financial centers to prepare for fierce competition resulting from wider opening.

Experts said the cross-boundary talent flow could benefit the economic development of Hong Kong and the mainland.

Eddie Ng, external affairs director of Hong Kong Institute of Human Resources Management, said such exchanges would not lead to a brain drain from Hong Kong.

"We have a lot of financial and securities professionals that mainland companies need, while they could provide high-tech professionals that we are short of in Hong Kong," said Ng.

(China Daily, HK Edition, January 28, 2002)