The Ningbo Municipal Government on July 24 signed a five-year cooperation agreement with the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA) to attract foreign talents to the city. 

SEFEA has agreed to provide a host of preferential services and support to foreign talents seeking jobs in Ningbo, in the form of cross-border procedures and residency. It also agreed to help in the formation of an international think tank in Ningbo.

Zhang Jianguo, director of SAFEA, expressed SAFEA's commitment to fully support the initiative and commended the city for its role in attracting foreign talents to China

"Ningbo is the first demonstration area in China to introduce foreign talents. With favorable conditions, it has been making stable progress in bringing in talents."

Qiu Dongyao, vice mayor of Ningbo, expressed his appreciation for the support and was optimistic that Ningbo will make good use of the resources and platform to be provided by SEFEA. He said Ningbo will step up efforts to bring in skilled overseas talents.

To date, the city has introduced over 3,200 foreign talents with focus on engineers, according to city officials.