A cameraman takes photo of the Pearl International Expo Center at the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Local Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Area in Qingdao. (PHOTO: ZHONG Jianli/S&T Daily)

By ZHONG Jianli

"The living and working environment here is very comfortable and flexible, with friendly people and great food," said John Blain, a Canadian supply chain management expert working for Hexagon, a leading supplier of measurement systems in Qingdao, the Chinese port city in east China's Shandong province famed for its culture, scenic beauty and beer.

Nishizawa Norihisa, a Japanese air conditioner expert with Hisense-Hitachi, a Sino-Japanese joint venture, echoed him, saying Qingdao has a fascinating environment and convenient transportation.

Coastal city Qingdao boasts a strategic geographic position with a well-developed transportation infrastructure, which includes an airport, port, expressway and subway. The pleasant weather is a bonus.

Over the years, the city has been making efforts to attract foreigners to live, work or start their businesses here.

The International Talents Community in the China (Shandong) Pilot Free Trade Zone Qingdao Area is one of the many measures.

The International Talents Community Cooperation Hub in Qingdao. (PHOTO: WEI Yao/Beijing Review)

"We provide extensive services for international talents working in Qingdao, including work permit and residence permit application, international relocation, legal and financial consulting services," said Liu Dechao, chairman of Qingdao Talent and Enterprise Service Group, the operator of the community. "Our aim is to create a convenient and supportive environment so that international talents feel assured living and working in Qingdao."

Kerstin Kaehler, a German who has been working in China for over 20 years and is now the general manager of the German Enterprise Center at the Sino-German Ecopark in the free trade zone, said her company has grown with the Ecopark over the past decade. She witnessed more and more foreign enterprises chose to run their businesses from here.

The Ecopark is a demonstrative cooperation project for sustainable development jointly developed by the Chinese and German governments.

A capture of the Sino-German Ecopark. (PHOTO: WEI Yao/Beijing Review)

Apart from favorable policies, the city's strength in innovation also plays an important role in attracting global talents.

According to the annual Global Innovation Index released by the World Intellectual Property Organization in 2022, Qingdao improved its ranking by 12 places as a science and technology cluster. It was also described as the fastest growing cluster with its sci-tech output increasing by over 25 percent.

Qingdao has 54 national-level innovation platforms in such areas as high-speed train, intelligent home appliances and virtual reality.

Li Chuanying, director for technical cooperation at CRRC Qingdao Sifang Company, a Chinese rolling stock manufacturer, said due to the company's expertise in developing high-speed trains, they have many international cooperation projects with foreign experts' participation.

"Young Chinese engineers are energetic and eager to learn. I like to work with them and tap their potentials for innovation," said Toshinori Noda, a Japanese senior technology strategy expert working in Haier, a renowned home appliances manufacturer.

Talking about their future in Qingdao, some foreign experts said they want to learn the Chinese language and know more about the Chinese culture through training sessions or activities so that they can better adapt to life in China. Some wished when going to hospital or handling some procedures, more communication or manuals could be in English as well.