China's post-Phd students hit record levels as global talent race heats upAround 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.
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 program, 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.
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.
At an average age of 31, the ministry said new postdoctoral entrants in China are "the most active and innovative group of high-level young talents".
A postdoctoral fellowship is a training-oriented role for individuals who have completed doctoral studies. The positions typically serve as a bridge between academic training and a full-time professional career.
To support top-tier talent, the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation provided a cumulative 8.3 billion yuan (38 billion baht) in funding, benefiting nearly 120,000 postdoctoral researchers, the ministry said in an article published in 2023.
Despite the progress in scientific and technological development, President Xi Jinping said at a national science conference last June, "we're still weak in original innovation capabilities, particularly in critical core technologies, and short of top-tier scientific talent."
Sun Rui, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Personnel Science, urged China to increase its efforts to attract international candidates to raise the global competitiveness of its postdoctoral programs.
Over half of the postdocs at US universities come from outside the country, with a significant proportion from Asian nations - especially China. In contrast, the proportion of foreign nationals in China's postdoctoral pool is much lower, with most foreign postdocs coming from developing countries, Sun said in an article published on people.cn in December.