The seventh China Shandong Overseas Talents Exchange and Technology Cooperation Talks will begin in Jinan, capital of the province, on Nov 5 to provide introductions between global high-caliber personnel and local businesses.

"The two-day event is designed to attract talented Chinese with overseas experience and foreign experts to work or start their own business in Shandong," said Han Jinfeng, head of the Shandong Human Resources and Social Security Office.

"We will harness overseas and domestic talent to further boost the province's innovative strength andeconomic development," he said.

To support the talent program, the local research institutions, enterprises and industrial parks will offera range of attractive polices including startup funds, human resource support, financial services andfree accommodation.

According to Han, a total of 410 highly skilled overseas Chinese, foreign experts and post-doctoralprofessionals have confirmed their attendance to date.

Most will submit project proposals with independent intellectual property rights in new energy,advanced materials, electronic information, modern agriculture, financial services and environmentalprotection.

They will also conduct fact-finding trips to the marine economic zone in Shandong Peninsula and theecological zone at the Yellow River Delta, and talk with potential partners.

Other activities include a talent recruitment fair, high-tech project, new technology promotions and anaward ceremony for overseas Chinese and foreign experts who made outstanding contributions toShandong's economy.

The event has been organized annually since 2001 by the Ministry of Human Resources and SocialSecurity, the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs and the Shandong provincial government.

The previous six events attracted more than 3,000 overseas professionals, generated 2,000 projectsand created 300 new enterprises.

During last year's event alone, a total of 123 cooperation deals were signed worth a combined 3.22billion yuan ($511.2 million).

By Wang Qian (China Daily)

Wangqian2@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 09/28/2012 page12)