The 2018 Convention on Exchange of Overseas Talent (CEOT) and the 20th Guangzhou Convention of Overseas Chinese Scholars in Science and Technology (OCS) kicked off on December 21th in Guangzhou.

The 2018 Convention on Exchange of Overseas Talent (CEOT) and the 20th Guangzhou Convention of Overseas Chinese Scholars in Science and Technology (OCS) kicked off on December 21th in Guangzhou. [Photoed by Li Zhen, SFC, Photo provided to Newsgd.com]

On the theme of “wisdom, innovation, win-win”, the two-day convention features eight major events, including summit forums, exhibitions, project exchange, talent recruitment, professional conferences, overseas sub-conferences, and a 20th anniversary celebration of the CEOT, attracting overseas students and high-level talent to China for business, exchange and cooperation and promoting cross-regional exchange.

Aiming to develop an international talent pool and seize the opportunities posed by the construction of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area, the convention received an overwhelming response with more than 3,500 academics and professionals from overseas participating, around 80% of whom are doctor’s degree holders. Thomas Sargent, the 2011 economics Nobel prize winner, and Da-Wen Sun, an Academician of the Royal Irish Academy attended the convention.

Furthermore, representatives of new materials science and technology industry from Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area will gather to discuss the emerging trend of new materials, the industry’s development direction, opportunities for and means of cooperation at the convention. Topics including new models and new paths for innovation in technology, stem cell research and regenerative medicine were also discussed in the seminars.

This year the convention also held activities in Hong Kong for the first time. Three activities were held from December 19th to 20th and attracted 28 well-known enterprises such as Zhuhai Huafa Group, Guangzhou Yuexiu Group, Guangfa Bank, ZTE, Tuopu Gene, TCL Group, as well as top students from Hong Kong universities. More than 500 individuals at the top of their respective fields participated and exchanged ideas and more than 1,200 ‘overseas talents’ registered. At the same time, the Hong Kong arm of the convention also set up an “online recruitment” session, to establish a more comprehensive and extensive international talent platform. 

Nearly 60 Fortune 500 companies participated the convention including giants Huawei, Tencent, Sinopec, Siemens, Mercedes-Benz, and Wal-Mart, bringing with them a lot of job opportunities.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the convention. On December 28, 1998, the first CEOT was held in Guangzhou, and a mere 303 overseas students attended the conference. It is now the largest of its kind in country, and is known for enticing overseas students to return to China to start business, becoming the most high-end and influential convention targeting overseas professionals.

Since 2016, the CEOT has been upgraded to OCS to provide better services for both returnees and foreign talents.

The previous conventions have been supported by experts, scholars and overseas students from home and abroad, which has led to the execution of a large number of outstanding projects. According to statistics, since the first CEOT, it has attracted nearly 50,000 individuals from home and abroad; covering more than 140 countries and regions around the world, and has contributed nearly 50,000 projects to the country.

Reported by Keane, Hainan

Edited by Simon

Correspondent: Publicity department of Guangzhou Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau