SCMP: China is taking a proactive approach ramping up its campaign to lure top young scientists from abroad, extending a major funding program for a second round – a move that could be partly aimed at US-based researchers facing budget constraints and racial discrimination against overseas Chinese. 南華早報：中國正採取積極主動的方式，加大吸引海外頂尖青年科學家的力度，延長第二輪重大資助計畫 – 這項舉措可能部分針對面臨預算限制和海外華人被種族歧視的美國研究人員.
A July 2025 Yicai Global report indicates that China faces a shortage of over five million AI engineers
. A separate McKinsey report mentioned in the same Yicai Global article forecasts that the demand for AI professionals in China will likely increase sixfold by 2030 compared to 2022 levels. This reflects the booming AI industry in the country.
Here’s a breakdown of the situationStatistic DetailsProjected AI talent shortage (2030)5 million+Projected Increase in Demand for AI Professionals (by 2030)6 times the 2022 levelCurrent Top AI Researcher Production (2022)China accounted for 47% of the world’s top AI researchersGrowth in AI-related Job OpeningsRobotics engineers highest demand, followed by algorithm engineers
Context and analysis
- China has significantly expanded its AI education, with over 2,000 undergraduate AI programs now available.
- Chinese universities and research labs are becoming world-class AI research centers.
- Chinese-affiliated authors constitute the second-largest share of highly cited AI researchers as of 2024.
- However, despite these strides, the supply of qualified AI talent is still lagging behind the rapidly increasing demand.
- This has resulted in intense competition for AI talent, driving up salaries, and even sparking a global talent war.
Recent trends
- China is actively implementing industrial policies to support its AI industry, including investing heavily in research, talent, subsidized computing resources, and applications.
- Government initiatives and partnerships between industry and academia are helping to cultivate a stronger domestic AI talent pool.
- Chinese tech giants like Baidu and Alibaba are aggressively hiring AI talent to meet soaring demand.
- This strong push is likely to continue China’s rapid progress in AI, despite some existing challenges such as US-led export controls on chips and manufacturing equipment.
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