New agency helps Beijing woo global talents

By Zhiqun Zhu

During this year's political sessions in Beijing, global attention has focused on China’s constitutional revision. However, little attention has been paid to other major institutional restructuring and reforms, such as the establishment of several new government agencies including the State Immigration Administration, the International Development Cooperation Agency, Ministry of Natural Resources, and Ministry of Ecological Environment.

The State Immigration Administration will have significant impact on China’s interactions with the outside world.  With the growth of its comprehensive national strength and improved living conditions, the number of foreigners living and working in China has been on the rise.  In the early 1980s when China just started its reform and opening up policies, there were only about 10,000 foreigners living and working in China.  That number skyrocketed to over 900,000 by the end of 2016. 

A man shows the pickup form of his visa to China at Chinese Visa Application Service Center in Toronto, Canada, March 9, 2015. [Photo: Xinhua]

According to the plan passed by the first session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) on March 13, the new immigration administration will be responsible for coordinating and formulating immigration policies and their implementation, border control, and managing foreigners' stay. It will also take the lead in coordinating measures to deal with foreigners who illegally enter, stay or work in China, and the repatriation of illegal immigrants. In addition, the administration will provide exit and entry services for Chinese nationals on private affairs and engage in international cooperation in the field of immigration, among others.

The establishment of the State Immigration Administration is significant in several ways.

First, it indicates that a more confident China remains an open and welcoming society and aims to become more competitive in the globalized world today.  Like many countries facing similar challenges such as a graying population and declining birth rates, China has adopted a series of new policies to address these issues, including measure to attract global talents.  In 2004, China began offering 10-year “green cards” to foreign nationals in a bid to entice more international talents. However, the number of green cards issued is extremely low compared with countries like the United States, which has various programs, including a visa lottery, for granting residency to foreigners.

In 2016, over 1,500 foreigners were given Chinese green cards. The same year, however, the United States granted nearly 1.2 million green cards.  Obviously there is much room for growth in China in terms of attracting global talents as its economy is being upgraded to be more hi-tech based.

Second, it shows that China will be more active in global governance and become more integrated into the international system.  A long-time observer of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), China became its full member in 2016, which has enabled China to be more actively involved in international migration governance, including the handling of undocumented migrants and international refugees. 

China has witnessed a drastic increase of foreigners in major cities.  For example, Guangzhou and Wenzhou have large communities of Africans.  While most foreigners are law-abiding in China, there have been reports of crimes such as drugs, overstaying, and using false passports.  In the past, such cases were typically dealt with by local public security personnel, who may lack proper knowledge or training in international immigration.  

With the accelerated movement of people across national borders, the international community faces some common challenges such as human trafficking, international porn industry, drug trafficking, and spread of infectious diseases.  As a growing power, China will inevitably shoulder more international responsibilities.  The new Immigration Administration will not only be necessary for China’s own immigration matters but also be a positive force in global governance in this regard.  

Third, it reflects the Chinese government’s willingness to heed the suggestions from the public and think tanks and address emergent issues.  In particular, the Beijing-based Center for China & Globalization (CCG) has worked tirelessly in the past decade to advocate the idea of immigration management in China.  CCG President Wang Huiyao sits on the Migration Advisory Board of IOM and played a crucial role in promoting China’s participation in international migration governance.  In 2017 the CCG published a report, suggesting that China should take advantage of the more stringent immigration policy of the United States under President Donald Trump and adopt new policies to lure global talents.  It also publishes the annual report on Chinese international migration to highlight the importance of this issue.   

Globalization has made international migration much easier now than ever.  While cross-border crimes and problems will continue to confront the international community, the race for securing global talents has become more intense in the highly competitive world today.  The establishment of the new State Immigration Administration is a very positive step to prepare China for the challenges and opportunities ahead.

(Zhiqun Zhu, PhD, is Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Bucknell University, USA.)