By the end of 2000, foreign technicians and professionals working in Beijing had exceeded 20,000, they have by their work contributed to Beijing's development in high-tech, education, hygiene and many other fields.
According to Beijing Daily, in recent years, Beijing has invited more and more foreign professionals and experts to work in the city. Of world top 500 companies, 158 have set up branches in Beijing; many foreign research centers like Microsoft have settled down in Beijing.
Mainly working in the realms of digital broadcasting, digital TV transmitter, optical communication, laser processing, digital-control machine tool, biomedicine, medical equipment, education and hygiene, they have contributed considerably to Beijing's construction.
By the end of 2000, some 118 schools employed foreign teachers into service, including 1,052 on a long term of teaching.
In 1999, a "Great Wall Friendship Prize" was instituted to award excellent foreign experts, so far, 27 have got the honor.
According to another report, Beijing municipal government and the State Foreign Experts Bureau have decided on a long-term cooperative tie for making most of intellectual resources from abroad to facilitate the construction of Beijing Zhongguancun Hi-tech Park.
(People’s Daily 06/15/2001)
