From December 10 to 11, the second Innovation and Entrepreneurship City Alliance (Chengdu) Development Conference for Young Overseas Chinese was held in Chengdu. The event gathered participants from across the nation, including high-level young returned overseas Chinese talents, industry leaders, and representatives from the innovation and entrepreneurship institutions and enterprises of returned overseas Chinese, uniting their efforts towards innovation and development. What is the appeal of the "Land of Abundance" for overseas returnees? How should Sichuan continue to harness the "strength of returnees" to support high-quality development?

Leveraging Environmental "Superiority" and Development "Momentum" for Talent Attraction

When asked why they opt to develop in Sichuan, many returned overseas Chinese cite the province's "inclusiveness" and "vitality" as compelling reasons.

On December 11, GenEros BioPharma Limited and Chengdu Medical City signed an investment cooperation agreement on the establishment of the company's headquarters and R&D production center. Following the signing ceremony, Dr. Xin-Yuan Fu, Chairman of GenEros BioPharma Limited, stated, "Upon returning to China, I decided to redirect the emphasis of my life and career to Chengdu, attracted by its agreeable living ambiance, rich cultural legacy, and its open and inclusive environment."

The "superiority" of the "Land of Abundance" is also reflected in its supportive environment for startups and job seekers. Peng Xiaoxiao, President of the Chengdu Overseas Returned Scholars Association and President of the Youth Committee of the Chengdu Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, hails from Sichuan. She explained that her decision to return to Sichuan for development after studying abroad was influenced not only by her longing for her hometown but also by Sichuan's swift development momentum and abundant opportunities.

On December 12, Aerofugia officially broke ground for its global headquarters base in Chengdu Future Science and Technology City. "In the past six months, our company has witnessed rapid expansion, which is inseparable from the vitality this city has infused into us," stated Guo Liang, CEO and Chief Scientist of Aerofugia Technology (Chengdu) Co., Ltd. "In the past six months, our company has experienced rapid growth, which is inseparable from the vitality this city has infused into us," said Guo Liang, CEO and Chief Scientist of Aerofugia Technology (Chengdu) Co., Ltd. Citing the growth of the low-altitude economy as an illustration, Guo noted that in the latter half of this year, Chengdu put forward plans to further develop the national low-altitude airspace coordinated management reform pilot area, encourage the emergence of new low-altitude logistics models such as "same-city delivery" and "inter-city express delivery" utilizing drones, and establish regular commercial low-altitude logistics routes.

Innovating Attraction Policies and Improving Support Systems for Talent Retention

This year, Sichuan Province has introduced a startup support program for returning Chinese overseas students and a selective funding scheme for the science and technology endeavors by such individuals, with a maximum funding cap of 300,000 yuan for entrepreneurial returnees. Numerous policies share similar objectives. In recent years, to support the return of overseas-educated individuals to Sichuan for innovation and entrepreneurship, the province has significantly enhanced its policy support in areas such as scientific research funding and resettlement with permanent residency, thereby providing a robust guarantee for the development of returning overseas Chinese talents in Sichuan.

Policy assurance is fundamental, and the key lies in effectively implementing these policies. "One key reason for Sichuan's ability to retain talent is the approach of 'policies actively reaching out to individuals', rather than 'individuals actively seeking out policies,'" Peng Xiaoxiao elaborated. Many overseas returnees are not acquainted with the policies, she noted, hence the need for a collaborative effort from the government, businesses, and community organizations to ensure that more people are informed about and can maximize the benefits of these policies. She cited the Tianfu Dream Center for Overseas Returnees' Entrepreneurship as an example. This center is the first national platform in China dedicated to the technology achievement transformation for young Chinese scientists returning from overseas. One of its key responsibilities is to organize events and establish communication bridges, facilitating face-to-face interactions between returned talents and enterprises, as well as the government, so as to achieve effective connections among all sides.

In addition to the above policies, Sichuan has also made significant efforts in such areas as safeguarding the rights and interests of the enterprises funded by overseas Chinese and providing financial services. In recent years, Sichuan has significantly enhanced coordination between the affairs related to overseas Chinese and legal institutions, including procuratorates, courts, police, and judicial bodies. The province has also fully utilized the role of the "Chuan Xiao Qiao" legal platform to assist enterprises funded by overseas Chinese in protecting their legitimate rights and interests. Meanwhile, to offer overseas Chinese entrepreneurs and businesses more superior, comprehensive, and convenient financial services, Sichuan has established an information interconnectivity platform, aiming to further promote the effective integration of overseas Chinese business resources with financial capital.

Leveraging University-Community Collaboration and Exchange Platforms for Optimal Use of Talent

In recent years, as an increasing number of returnee talents and new overseas Chinese gather, settle, and start businesses in Sichuan, they have injected vibrant energy into the high-quality development of the province. How can we better leverage the strength of returned talents? Several representatives from the overseas Chinese community shared their insights.

Colleges and universities are crucial platforms for harnessing the strength of returned talents to facilitate innovative development. Sichuan has set up a collaborative working mechanism that integrates the local federation of returned overseas Chinese, the university federation of returned overseas Chinese, and alumni associations. Currently, 18 universities in Chengdu have established returned overseas Chinese federations, and six expert workstations for returned overseas Chinese federations, such as the "Sichuan University Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese (Dazhou, Suining, Yibin, Shuangliu) Expert Workstation", have been established. Over 200 experts have joined these stations. Through in-depth linkage and collaboration between universities and localities, as well as between universities and enterprises, the technical bottlenecks in various innovative developments have been addressed to a certain extent. This has accelerated the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements in universities and simultaneously provided intellectual support and talent backup for the transformation and upgrading of local industries and the high-quality development of the economy.

"Platforms are indispensable for harnessing the strength of returned overseas Chinese. Of course, this is not just a platform for the development of returned talents, but also a platform for communication and external liaison," stated Wang Qingyuan, Haina Distinguished Professor at Sichuan University and Fellow of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts. Xin-Yuan Fu also mentioned that Sichuan's abundant university resources and distinct talent advantages enable the province to establish more platforms and further open up communication channels, which would have a positive impact on both the personal development of returned talents and the enhancement of local scientific research capabilities.