With his dark complexion and slightly curly hair, 25-year-old Nilesh Sharma stands out from other governmental officials in the city of Shaoxing, east China's Zhejiang Province.

A graduate of the University of Bombay's hotel management school, he came to China two years ago, quitting his job in a Dutch trans-national corporation to be an English teacher in Shaoxing.

When the newly-founded Shaoxing Investment Bureau advertised a vacancy five months ago, Nilesh applied and was hired from over 200 applicants with masters or doctoral degrees to become the first overseas public servant in Zhejiang.

Nilesh was treated the same as his Chinese colleagues, said Sheng Qiuping, director of the bureau. He had lunch at the large cafeteria every noon, was paid by the Chinese government, including housing subsidies and bonus, and he would be promoted if he performed well.

The biggest advantage of Nilesh was that he was an Indian, said Liu Canhua, vice-director of Shaoxing Investment Bureau.

"Though a developing country, India's IT and textile industriesare highly developed," said Liu. "There are over 100 Indian textile business people in Shaoxing, but unfortunately no Indian enterprises invest here."

Nilesh said his task was to send investment invitations to leading international corporations within three months, so as to attract foreign investment.

He said many Indian companies were interested in investing in Shaoxing, saying that China's market was very promising, "but they know little about China."

Wang Yongchang, vice-mayor of Shaoxing, said, "It embodies the openness of Shaoxing that the government hires foreign personnel."

The government needed people with abilities, no matter where they came from, said Wang. People with different nationalities flourished Shaoxing's foreign trade, and the government welcomed fresh talent from all over the world.

Prof. Ma Lihong, of the CPC School of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee, said the provincial government would further reform itspersonnel system, introducing in a more flexible employment mechanism.

(Xinhua News Agency January 5, 2004)