Advisers brainstorm on attracting investment, talents

Political advisers stressed the importance of attracting global investment and retaining talents from around the world at a panel discussion during the Third Session of the Seventh Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) on Monday, Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported.

Xie Huihui, a member of the CPPCC Shenzhen Municipal Committee, suggested that Shenzhen create an investment attraction strategy with target industries and enterprises in mind. Xie took Qianhai as an example to show how the well-targeted measures could be applied.

A view of OHBay in Qianhai. Shenzhen Special Zone Daily

Qianhai launched its global service providers program in November last year to attract eight categories of service providers worldwide. To ensure the program’s success, Qianhai has rolled out a slew of policies to allow enterprises in related sectors to “enjoy the full benefits” of new policies such as those on taxation, talent and industrial space, Xie said.

Shenzhen, which is at the forefront of China’s reform and opening-up drive, has posted great achievements in recent years by adhering to its strategy on developing a quality workforce and building itself into a major world center of professional talent and innovation. Talent cultivation is an important guarantee for industrial development and sci-tech advancement in Shenzhen, the Daily report said.

As other cities in the country step up their efforts in attracting talents, however, Shenzhen is facing new challenges in luring and retaining talents of all kinds, according to Cheng Huiming, another political adviser.

Cheng called for the establishment of a long-term and stable talent support mechanism to ease “uncertainty-induced anxieties” on the part of employers when they look to hire and retain skilled talent. Shenzhen should strengthen the weak links in its talent retention programs and make every effort to attract more talents to settle down in the city, the political adviser said.

Political adviser Liu Hao proposed refined measures for talent attraction and retention in key industries. Shenzhen should continue to do well in terms of individual tax incentives, talent housing and public service facilities to better serve talents and increase the city’s “talent stickiness” — that is, the city’s ability to both attract and retain talents, Liu said during the panel discussion.

Wen Zhengfang, a fellow panelist, also shared his thoughts on talent attraction and cultivation. He suggested that leading talents be given more power in forming tech teams.