Chinese job fair in US tries to woo talent

As part of a movement to attract overseas Chinese professionals to fill jobs in various cities across China, a delegation of high-level officials from Jinan in East China's Shandong province interviewed over 50 candidates in New York last week for 150 positions they aim to fill in stages over the next five years as part of the city's "5-150" jobs campaign.

"Jinan is in the process of a massive structural adjustment and rapid growth," said Vice-mayor Yin Luqian. "We're looking for professionals to help with the transition and we're specifically looking for overseas Chinese."

The officials, who just wrapped up interviews in Silicon Valley, California, will also be meeting with candidates in Toronto, Canada, organizers said.

Many overseas professionals have contacted local officials in China in the hope of returning for positions in the growing tech and science fields, Yin said.

A separate delegation of officials from Fujian province met earlier this month with candidates in San Francisco, New York, Boston and Washington DC. In California, officials from universities, research institutes and businesses based in Fujian interviewed 130 overseas Chinese high-tech personnel and Chinese students, 63 of whom expressed an interest in taking up positions in Fujian.