Over the decades, foreign experts have not only witnessed China's development, but have also been active contributors, while growing their careers amid China's ongoing development.

From May 22 to 27, an event called Foreign Experts' Visit to Zhejiang 2023 was held in Hangzhou and Shaoxing, Zhejiang province. More than 20 foreign experts from different regions of China visited Zhejiang's industrial clusters and research institutes. They had in-depth exchanges with local entrepreneurs, enterprises' representatives, and college researchers on China's innovation environment, cultivation of technological enterprises, and the construction of new-type research institutes.

At the Zhejiang Nurotron Biotechnology Co., Ltd. in Hangzhou Future Sci-tech City, a worker introduced the application of technology in helping patients with hearing impairment and Parkinson's disease. A British expert on global health listened attentively. Over the years, she has witnessed the huge changes that 5G, AI and big data have brought to the healthcare industry. She is promoting medical exchanges between China and the world in the intensive care sector, and has visited many areas in China for this purpose. She said that the Chinese government gives full support to overseas experts in project application, fund allocation and resource mobilization, so that they can carry out research efficiently.

An expert from Singapore said that the Chinese government's support for AI is unparalleled, the influence of Chinese researchers in this field is on the rise, and the ability to commercialize research results across China is increasingly strong. His laboratory has established a cooperative relationship with the Zhejiang Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Rehabilitation Equipment to help research results out of the laboratory and onto the production line.

"The Chinese government attaches great importance to basic research. The research facilities are very good. My teammates and students have a strong motivation for doing innovative research," said aPolish physics expert from a Beijing-based university. He enjoys exploring new discoveries with his students. He engages himself in promoting China's international exchanges and cooperation in this field, so that students can be updated on more research frontiers.

Meanwhile, an automobile safety expert from Sweden came to China in 2019. He said that China is undergoing rapid development in the automotive industry. This offers him many opportunities to continue his creative work. The company he worked for has established a cooperative mechanism with Tsinghua University and Beijing Institute of Technology, aiming to produce more electric vehicle products with high-safety performance.

Westlake University. (PHOTO: VCG)

A Japanese expert from an energy company in Huzhou, Zhejiang province, said that government supports enterprises in pioneering innovation. His company has set up a postdoctoral workstation and he is supervising two postdoctoral fellows. His team focuses on the R&D of fuel cells. He plans to build a joint R&D platform with Westlake University to address major technical challenges in the new energy material sector.

"China's research environment is open, and a graduate of mine is working as an assistant professor at Westlake University," said a Pakistani expert in bone tissue engineering, now working as a visiting professor at a Shanghai-based institute. He said China is leading the world in 3D printing technology for medical use. He is currently doing joint research with his Chinese peers, and plans to establish a joint laboratory in Pakistan.

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In Shaoxing's Keqiao district, foreign experts visited the Zhejiang (Shaoxing) High-level Foreign Experts Innovation Center, where many global entrepreneurs were attracted to start business.

While engaging with some of the entrepreneurs, the foreign experts were impressed by the support services tailored for the inbound experts by the local government, such as offering research workshops and housing. "This is especially good for newcomers to the district, to encourage them to carry out technological explorations and help them adapt to local life as quickly as possible," said a British expert in automobile manufacturing based in Anhui province.

The event was hosted by the Department of Science and Technology Talent and Popularization of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), and organized by MOST's Service Center, and the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Science and Technology.