After leading the nation's reform and opening-up drive, Guangdong Province, is now poised to take the lead in importing "foreign brains" to support its economic construction, the Nanfang Daily reported.

Guangdong employed 166,000 and 167,000 foreigners as experts in 2004 and 2005 respectively. Both figures accounted for more than one-third of the country's total that reached 455,000 and 488,000 in the two years.

Eighty-five per cent of the foreign experts work for the province's many foreign-funded companies and joint ventures.

To maintain its growth momentum, the Guangdong provincial government has decided to invite more foreign experts to work in the province's State-owned enterprises, organizations and government departments.

Editor: Yan