China Revives Elite Scientist Recruitment Program Under New Name and Format
Hong Kong/Singapore/Washington – China has quietly revived its recruitment program for elite foreign-trained scientists, previously known as the Thousand Talents Plan (TTP), under a new name and format, according to sources and a review of government documents. The program, now called Qiming, offers perks such as home-purchase subsidies and signing bonuses ranging from 3 to 5 million yuan.
Qiming is overseen by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and specifically targets scientific and technological fields, including semiconductors. China’s effort to attract tech talent comes as it aims to achieve self-reliance in semiconductors amid U.S. export curbs. The U.S. has accused China of stealing intellectual property and technology. The revamped recruitment drive has not been publicized and is absent from central government websites.
China’s chip industry is facing a shortage of about 200,000 people this year. The Qiming program primarily targets applicants trained at top foreign institutions, especially those with Ph.D. degrees from prestigious universities such as MIT, Harvard, and Stanford. A significant number of experts have applied to the program, but the exact number of recruits is unknown.
Provincial and municipal governments across China are heavily investing in the Qiming program, offering significant financial resources and incentives to attract top talent. However, despite China’s efforts to advance its chip know-how, many Chinese semiconductor experts overseas are hesitant to return due to the political environment and China’s weaker position in chip development compared to the West.
