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Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] “100 million yuan (approx. KRW 19.5 billion).” The global tech industry was shaken on the 12th when news broke that OpenAI researcher Yao Sunyu was moving to Tencent with a staggering compensation package. The move follows the February transfer of Wu Yonghui, Vice President of Research at Google DeepMind, to ByteDance, fueling talk that China’s recruitment drive for overseas-trained talent has entered full swing.
The numbers back it up. According to an analysis by Stanford University, the proportion of Chinese scientists and researchers returning home after working in the United States rose from 48% in 2010 to 67% in 2021, and further to 75% last year. These returnees are known as Haigui (literally “sea turtles”), referring to those who “cross the sea and return.” In 2023 alone, a record 1.29 million Haigui returned to China.
Unlike South Korea, where the trend is less pronounced, China’s success in drawing back overseas talent lies in persistent outreach from both government and corporations—backed by substantial rewards.
Following the “Hundred Talents Program” launched in 1994 to attract 100 overseas experts annually, China initiated the “Thousand Talents Program” in 2008, targeting top-tier global talent. One notable example was Princeton University professor Shi Yigong, a leading cancer researcher courted by 12 top U.S. universities, who ultimately returned to his alma mater Tsinghua University in 2008.
Haigui have also played a key role in instilling global standards within Chinese companies and society. Many, influenced by their U.S.-style education, emphasize the need for strong reward systems to attract talent. Thanks in part to these influences, China’s big tech firms have adopted compensation structures that inspire young science and engineering students to aim for careers in leading firms or startups.
China’s talent recruitment radar now extends to foreigners as well. Recently, the government introduced a special “K visa” program for foreign nationals with at least a bachelor’s degree in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Holders of the K visa will enjoy significant benefits, including multiple-entry allowances, extended validity, and longer permitted stays.
알파경제 Kim Jisun (stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
