The State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA) confirmed that China's first law on recruiting and hiring experts from abroad is being considered. The new law may be promulgated as early as this year to improve recruitment and protect foreign employees' rights, said SAFEA Deputy Director-General Li Bing

Li told Xinhua in an interview that SAFEA has already prepared a draft for consideration. It is designed to promote internationalization and standardization of hiring practices and improve recruitment procedures.

Senior experts in the fields of finance, law, international trade and high technology are particularly sought after, according to Li, especially in the western and northeast regions of the country.

According to the National Statistics Bureau, every year China hires more than 240,000 foreign experts. Since embarking on its opening and reform program in the late 1970s, the country has employed more than 2.5 million people from overseas in the fields of agriculture, education, manufacturing and media.

Li said that in addition to their direct contributions, international personnel exchanges promote mutually beneficial cooperation between China and other countries.

"Through telling their experience in China, they let people in their countries know more about China," Li said. "We welcome more foreign experts to join us, and make full use of their knowledge to assist China's economic development."

(Xinhua News Agency April 18, 2005)