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Keqiao district in Shaoxing, East China's Zhejiang province, is building momentum in international talent development through the Zhejiang (Shaoxing) High-Level Foreign Experts Innovation Center, which has attracted more than 40 foreign experts to work and live locally.

The center was first launched in 2017, when Keqiao faced a pressing challenge. Despite its textile sector accounting for 45 percent of local GDP, the district employed just 28 R&D personnel per 10,000 workers — below the provincial average.

In response, Keqiao established the center with a model featuring government-led planning, operations by professional institutions, and coordinated services across departments. However, early results were modest.

A turning point came in 2020 when Zhang Jianping, a Keqiao native, and his Italian research partner — both experts in materials science — took over management. According to Zhang, passion alone is not enough and top-level design is essential to fostering a lasting sense of belonging among foreign professionals.

Following multi-round consultations, Keqiao rolled out specialized policies in 2021 to attract and retain high-level foreign talent.

Key outcomes of the center include the launch of an international scientists' exchange platform, partnerships with more than 20 institutions such as the University of South Africa and the National Research Council of Italy, and the incubation of over 30 foreign-funded tech enterprises.