China suffers the most severe brain drain of any country, raising fears there may not be enough talent and skill around to manage the worlds fourth largest economy. Out of about one million Chinese that have studied abroad since the 1980s, two thirds have chosen to stay overseas after graduation, the highest ratio of any economy. It has been a great loss for China to see welleducated professionals leave after the country has invested a lot in them.

Since 2002, more than 100,000 students have gone abroad to study each year, but in the same period, the number of returnees has hovered between 20,000 and 30,000 a year. To a certain degree, the trend is unavoidable as it reflects Chinas growing integration with the outside world. But some experts have called on the government to at least stem the tide by making the domestic job market more attractive to professionals overseas and to offer incentives to encourage their return.