* A growing number of foreign professionals are drawn to China by its expanding career opportunities, as the country's fast-growing industries strengthen its appeal amid economic pressures in some overseas markets. Positive experiences shared by foreign visitors on social media are also helping improve global perceptions of China.
* China's emerging industries, from artificial intelligence and robotics to new energy, are strengthening the pull of innovation, offering international professionals opportunities to put their expertise into practice.
* As Chinese technology companies expand globally, their growing demand for international expertise is creating career opportunities beyond China's borders.
BEIJING, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- For 33-year-old Federico Flamenco, a Salvadoran engineer working in China's robotics industry, a once-distant career dream has become a reality.
"Working in robotics is something I could once only dream about. Now I work with robotic arms and get to see how quickly humanoid robots are developing here in China," he said.
After earning a bachelor's degree in El Salvador, Flamenco pursued a master's degree in electrical engineering in China. Currently at JAKA Robotics, a Chinese robotics company, he helps overseas customers find suitable robotic solutions, drawing on his engineering expertise and knowledge of Spanish, English, Chinese and Portuguese.
Flamenco is among a growing number of foreign professionals drawn to China by expanding career opportunities, as its fast-growing industries strengthen the country's appeal amid economic pressures in some overseas markets. Positive experiences shared by foreign visitors on social media are also helping improve perceptions of China abroad.
CHINA ON THE RADAR
Miriam Wickertsheim, general manager of Direct HR, a recruitment firm that helps international companies in China hire senior executives, has seen the shift firsthand.
"Global interest in working in China has more than doubled this year compared with two years ago, with a major surge in inquiries in early summer," said Wickertsheim.
"We receive numerous inquiries from jobseekers in Europe, Australia, Arab countries, the United States and South America," she said, attributing the growing interest to a combination of "push and pull" factors.
In developed economies, sluggish growth and rising inflation have prompted more professionals to seek opportunities abroad, Wickertsheim explained. Layoffs at major technology companies have also driven skilled workers to explore other job markets, she added.
Meanwhile, professionals from countries such as those in South America admire China's rapid development and robust business ecosystem and hope to achieve joint growth with China, said Wickertsheim.
Wickertsheim noted that emerging industries such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and industrial automation are becoming increasingly important to her firm's recruitment business, while intelligent factories and robotic automation are emerging as key business areas.
Beyond career prospects, social media is also reshaping perceptions of China, Wickertsheim said. While Western media coverage of China has often focused on controversies, the country's 30-day visa-free entry policy has enhanced its appeal to foreign visitors, who share real, positive personal experiences online, she said.
"People saw China's safe, clean, modern environment, friendly locals and delicious food," she said, adding that these positive impressions have become another key factor drawing international talent to the country.
PULL OF INNOVATION
China's fast-growing emerging industries, from artificial intelligence and robotics to new energy, are strengthening the pull of innovation, offering international professionals opportunities to put their expertise into practice.
Cao Jun, chief financial officer of Hydrexia, a Chinese hydrogen energy company, said a major strength of Chinese technology enterprises lies in their ability to closely integrate technological innovation, product manufacturing and practical applications.
In the hydrogen energy sector, China's relatively complete industrial chain and strong engineering and manufacturing capabilities allow international professionals to participate in every stage, from research and development to manufacturing and commercialization in overseas markets, Cao said.
China's push for innovation-driven growth extends across its economy. In the first half of 2026, the country's GDP grew 4.7 percent year-on-year, with new growth drivers, including high-end manufacturing, the digital economy and modern services, contributing more than 40 percent to economic growth, official data showed.
China last week issued guidelines aimed at accelerating the development of new quality productive forces, calling for measures like closer integration of technological and industrial innovation and improved talent development mechanisms.
Such industrial policies also offer clues to where China's economy is headed. "The best industry development reference for foreign businesses and jobseekers comes from China's five-year development plans, which outline the country's investment priorities and emerging track directions," Wickertsheim said.
"More global enterprise executives and board members are now proactively learning about China's industrial policies, unlike in the past," she said. "This improved understanding helps foreign companies formulate more scientific China market strategies."
OPPORTUNITIES BEYOND BORDERS
As Chinese technology companies expand globally, their growing demand for international expertise is creating career opportunities beyond China's borders.
Hydrexia has expanded into overseas markets including the United States, Australia and Southeast Asia, building international teams that bring together employees familiar with Chinese technology and manufacturing as well as those with expertise in local markets.
Cao said the company aims to develop overseas teams that can serve local customers over the long term and become part of local hydrogen energy industries, rather than merely act as sales outlets for Chinese products.
Hydrexia employs about 250 people worldwide, with overseas business teams accounting for around 10 percent of its workforce. It plans to strengthen overseas teams over the next two to three years.
By the end of 2025, Chinese investors had established more than 50,000 overseas enterprises across 190 countries and regions, with China's cumulative outbound investment ranking among the world's top three for nine consecutive years. Chinese companies operating abroad have created an average of over 2 million jobs annually, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) calls for improving support services for enterprises operating overseas and encouraging eligible companies to carry out mutually beneficial overseas investment cooperation.
Wickertsheim said Direct HR has received increased inquiries from Chinese companies planning to expand overseas. She expects Chinese multinational enterprises to generate substantial demand for overseas recruitment over the next five years. ■
