Fifteen of China's central and biggest state-owned enterprises (SOEs) have opened up applications for top management positions to qualified candidates, including foreigners. A spokesman from the SASAC said that this form of open recruitment of the top brass is the first of the kind. Moreover, foreigners are also eligible to apply.

In the past, senior staff members of central SOEs were appointed by the central government and only Chinese candidates were considered.

According to sources within the SASAC, two SOEs are seeking general managers, while the others have positions for deputy general manager and chief accountant.

However, China Worldbest Group Co Ltd, one of China's largest pharmaceutical and textile companies, and the China Academy of Building Research will be appointing their general managers.

The SASAC, which supervises the more than 170 central SOEs on behalf of the central government, organized two similar recruitment campaigns in 2003 and 2004, during which 28 central SOEs, including China Unicom and China Aluminium Corporation, opened applications for 30 senior positions, such as those of deputy general manager and chief accountant, to the public.

A few of the jobs were also opened to foreigners, but none of the foreign applicants was successful.

SASAC Minister, Li Rongrong, said earlier this year that the open recruitment campaign for SOEs would go further this year in terms of the scale of jobs offered and the number of participants invited to apply.

He and a number of SASAC officials have just formed special recruitment panels with the chiefs of the SOEs that are taking part in this third recruitment campaign aimed at hiring "fresh brainpower".

According to an SASAC press release distributed yesterday, the results of the recruitment drive should be decided by the end of September this year.

Although the exact requirements for each position differ, preference will generally be given to applicants who are innovative, familiar with the global operation of modern companies, are at least bilingual, and who are below 50 years of age.

In addition, a further 10 central SOEs are offering similar positions but only to Chinese nationals. The SASAC will release the details of the jobs offered and their qualification prerequisites tomorrow.

(China Daily May 9, 2005)