More overseas Chinese chose to return home and start their own business on the Chinese mainland amid the global economic downturn because of favorable government policies and a better environment here for new business than in foreign countries.
More than 186,200 overseas Chinese returned to work or start a business in the mainland last year, a sharp increase of 38 percent from a year earlier which was the strongest in the past decade, the human resources and social security ministry said.
Li Gen, chairman of Dalian Tianqu Technology Co, said that compared with Australia, "starting a business is easier in China because of favorable government policies, more access to capital and closer cultural links."
He was among more than 1,800 oversea Chinese who attended the CHINAOCS International Talents Fair in Dalian in Liaoning Province.
Li returned from Australia last year after getting a master's degree in 2007. He is now working for a mining company where he is developing an online platform in China to trade second-hand vehicles. The government gave him a 2 million yuan (US$317,460) grant for his project.
In 2008, the central government launched the "Thousand People Plan" to attract high-level professionals back. So far, over 2,260 people have gained from the program which offers important posts and government funding for business in areas such as science, finance, art and management. There are also preferential policies at provincial and city levels.
Another returnee is Zhang Jianjun, a doctorate degree holder from Canada, who said: "There are much more opportunities in China, why not come back?"
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More overseas Chinese chose to return home and start their own business on the Chinese mainland amid the global economic downturn because of favorable government policies and a better environment here for new business than in foreign countries.
