Around 400,000 postdoctoral students have trained in China over the past four decades, with annual enrolment more than tripling in 12 years amid an intensifying global talent race, according to latest figures from the Chinese government.
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With over 8,800 postdoctoral research- and workstations across the country, the number of new recruits reached a record 42,000 last year, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security said on Wednesday.
That represents a more than threefold surge compared with 2012, when 12,500 people entered China’s postdoctoral programme, according to the ministry’s earlier figures.
The postdoctoral system’s rapid expansion since it was established 40 years ago highlights the speedy increase in high-end talent inside China. Competition for top-tier talent has also become a key battleground in Beijing’s strategic rivalry with the United States.
As China’s economy shifts from low-end manufacturing to a technology-driven model, Beijing has optimised its policies and increased research investments in recent years to build a globally competitive talent hub.
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Meanwhile, the US has long attracted top-tier talent through optimised immigration policies, substantial research funding and a strong research environment. But uncertainty looms as the Trump administration cuts billions in federal funding for Harvard and other elite universities and rolls out visa restrictions for international students.