US Intelligence Firm: Efforts to Lure Chinese Tech Professionals from Europe back to China Prove Highly Successful

According to a study by Strider Technologies , a US intelligence firm, efforts by China to encourage Chinese tech professionals working in Europe to return to China have been highly successful. Over the past two decades, more than 30,000 employees from European technology companies have moved to China-headquartered firms. Beijing has effectively utilized talent programs, overseas alumni associations, and industry events to extract knowledge and expertise from foreign firms.

The success story of Jin Xing, a Chinese national who worked in Europe before returning to China to found Autorock, illustrates this trend. Jin received support from the Chinese state to monetize the knowledge and experience he gained in Europe. Autorock, a company co-owned by the government and government-affiliated organizations, has achieved significant success in the automotive-display industry.

During his time in Europe, Jin was an active member of the United Front, an organization that promotes Chinese citizens' contributions to the country's strategic goals. He also founded the IC-Forum, which focused on semiconductor technology. Jin actively encouraged other Chinese professionals to return to China and start businesses, resulting in over 100 IC-Forum members returning to China. Several of these members joined Jin at Autorock, while others hold key positions in China's semiconductor industry.

China sees the semiconductor industry as crucial to its military and economic objectives and is working to bridge the gap in this field. As the US implements measures to restrict China's access to IC technology and manufacturing, efforts to extract intellectual property and expertise from foreign organizations and workers are expected to intensify.

At the same time, many Western technology companies desire to tap into China's vast market and its abundant talent pool. To gain access to the market, Beijing often mandates partnerships with Chinese organizations. Strider's study identifies over 3,000 instances of collaboration between European semiconductor companies and Chinese organizations, some of them affiliated with the Chinese state, in the past 20 years. These collaborations not only have intrinsic benefits but also facilitate Beijing's talent programs.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has rejected Strider's conclusions, stating that China's exchange of talent with foreign countries is similar to that of other nations.