A Chinese effort to attract top foreign scientists has been met with a domestic backlash.
Beijing recently advertised its new visa for leading experts as a step towards establishing China as the world’s leading scientific power. The visa was also seen as a way to lure talent that would have otherwise gone to the US, where new laws have priced out many would-be migrants. But the visa sparked anger within China — where youth unemployment is high — with prominent influencers accusing the government of inviting foreigners to steal domestic jobs, The New York Times reported.
One analyst who praised the plan was accused of being a race traitor, and other critics have voiced fears that China will be overrun by outsiders.