A July 27, 2020 essay examining China’s talent recruitment strategy, the Thousand Talents Plan, advanced technology and brain drain, beginning with a 2017 Chinese government document that called for “recruiting the finest talent from around the world” and for encouraging high-level foreign talent while controlling ordinary talent and restricting low-level talent.

2020-07-27
This chapter continues the preceding discussion of China’s Thousand Talents Plan and the protection of advanced technology and intellectual property.
According to the provisional translation by Beijing Dadi Law Firm published by JETRO, on March 28, 2017, China’s State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of Public Security jointly issued a notice on the nationwide implementation of the foreigner work-permit system.
Its section on guiding principles called for implementing the strategic concept of “recruiting the finest talent from around the world” and adhering to the principle of encouraging high-level foreign talent, controlling ordinary talent, and restricting low-level talent.
The document also included senior personnel employed by central and local mainstream media among categories eligible for classification as high-level foreign talent.
On June 2, 2020, Japanese House of Councillors member Haruko Arimura questioned the government about China’s Thousand Talents Plan before the Committee on Financial Affairs.
The government replied that there was no obligation to report donations or research funding from foreign companies to the government and that it therefore did not have detailed information on individual cases.
English Translation
2020-07-27
Thoroughly implement the important speeches, firmly establish the development concepts of technological innovation, coordination, green development, openness, and sharing, and put into practice the strategic concept of “recruiting the finest talent from around the world.”
The following is a continuation of the preceding chapter.
No need for low-level personnel
There is a Chinese government document said to have been translated by Beijing Dadi Law Firm.
The Japan External Trade Organization, JETRO, posted the material on the Internet with the law firm’s permission.
Dated March 28, 2017, it was jointly issued by four government bodies: the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Public Security.
The document was titled a notice concerning the nationwide implementation of the foreigner work-permit system.
Under the heading “Guiding Principles,” it states:
“Thoroughly implement the important speeches of General Secretary Xi Jinping, firmly establish the development concepts of technological innovation, coordination, green development, openness and sharing, put into practice the strategic concept of ‘recruiting the finest talent from around the world,’ steadily implement the development strategy giving priority to talent and the employment-priority strategy, and adhere to the principle of ‘encouraging high-level talent to come to China, controlling ordinary talent, and restricting low-level talent’…” Was I the only person reminded of Yuriko Koike’s green color when I saw the word “green”?
Is not the expression “restrict low-level talent” precisely the kind of discriminatory, class-conscious language one would expect from a Communist Party dictatorship?
Another part that attracts attention is the inclusion of people connected with the media.
This suggests that China seeks influential individuals capable of faithfully carrying out its political propaganda.
People who actively make statements defending the Chinese government over Hong Kong, Tibet, Xinjiang, and other issues for which China has faced international criticism over human-rights repression might also be considered strong candidates for the Thousand Talents Plan.
As the United States and China engaged in a fierce struggle over the outflow of intellectual property, the Japanese government, although belatedly, also began to act.
To prevent advanced technologies from leaking overseas, it began considering guidelines modeled on those of the United States.
According to the June 24 edition of the Nikkei, laboratories receiving financial support from government-related organizations such as the Japan Science and Technology Agency, JST, were to be required to disclose information concerning overseas funding.
Moves also began in the Diet.
On June 2, Liberal Democratic Party House of Councillors member Haruko Arimura questioned the government in the Committee on Financial Affairs about how much it actually knew concerning the Thousand Talents Plan.
The government replied that Japan had no relevant reporting rules and that it had not grasped the connections between the Thousand Talents Plan and Japanese researchers.
Arimura argued that if researchers possessing cutting-edge technologies developed through Japan’s technology and educational resources were to accept the military application of their research, be placed at the center of another country’s national strategy, threaten Japan’s security, or unfairly weaken its defense capabilities, Japan’s strength could decline dramatically.
She sharply criticized the government’s lack of effective action.
Unrestrained brain drain harms the national interest.
At the same time, it is also true that many Japanese engineers are dissatisfied because they cannot fully demonstrate their abilities or receive compensation commensurate with those abilities.
If neither the government nor their companies recognize their value, it is hardly surprising that they may consider entrusting themselves to a country or foreign company that evaluates them more highly.
To stop the outflow of advanced technologies capable of military application, the Japanese government needs to provide detailed support for outstanding personnel, including focused financial assistance for Japanese researchers.
At the same time, as in the United States, Japan needs to accelerate the development of laws requiring researchers who receive government subsidies or other public funding to report funding received from overseas.
Japan must also understand the present situation in which its research community has been left exposed as a recruiting ground for countries such as China and take measures to place a brake on the brain drain.