But in the second decade of the 21st century, the Chinese economy needs to integrate into the global economy.

The old style of manufacturing, sucking up environmental and energy resources while turning in decreasing profits, will have to gradually come to an end.

The Chinese economy has to move to high-tech and service-based industries. The biomedical, new material and clean energy sectors will have huge market demand.

Moreover, the increasingly complicated economy needs more specialists in law and intellectual property protection.

At the same time, Chinese enterprises are going global, requesting a large number of professionals equipped with global experience and vision.

Naturally, this is a time well suited for overseas-trained talent. Innovative industries and the high-end service industries such as law, finance, and insurance all need staff with a strong education background who are familiar with global practices. Overseas-trained professionals are ideal candidates.

The next two decades or more will be another wave of golden opportunities for overseas Chinese returnees.

Since the reform and opening-up began 30 years ago, Chinese entrepreneurs have gone through the manufacturing era, which needed intensive use of labor, and the real estate, auto-making and high-tech era, which needed intensive use of capital. Now China is entering a third era, characterized by innovation and the high-end service industry, and which needs the human resources to go with it.

There have been two waves of investment opportunity over the past 30 years of reform and opening-up, the stock market in the 1990s and the real estate market in the 2000s.

Today, China is experiencing an unprecedented wave of urbanization which has created new opportunities in the cities. Combined with this are the chances offered by industries upgrading to high tech and Chinese enterprises looking to move overseas.

It's another gold-rush decade for enterprising and skilled young people.Overseas-trained Chinese need to have the guts and wisdom to take part in it.

The author is director of the North America Chinese Scholars International Exchange Center. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn