More private capital needed at urbanization's disposal

China Daily: Chairman of the Ningxia Hui autonomous region Wang Zhengwei said that Ningxia faced a shortage of talents at the China（Ningxia) International Investment and Trade Fair & China-Arab States Economic and Trade Forum. The forum invited many Arabic-speaking people from Yiwu city in East China's Zhejiang province. Since the forum has been upgraded into the China-Arab States Expo, do you expect Ningxia-born talents who work in other provinces to return to Ningxia? If so, what's your estimation of the number of talents coming back?

Wang Heshan: A shortage of talents is a problem that Ningxia needs to solve. To attract talents by holding the expo is only a temporary solution. The expo will last for only several days. But we need a large number of talents who can stay and work in Ningxia for a long time. Most people we invited from Yiwu serve as translators for the forum. Actually, we have an Arabic language school and an Islamic university in Ningxia. The Ningxia local government accredited the Ningxia University and the Northwest University for Nationalities to cultivate Arabic language talents. These are efforts we made to gain better talent resources.

Ningxia's development has accelerated in recent years. It has beautiful cities including Yinchuan, Wuzhong and Shizuishan. The beautiful urban environment may attract talents. Many translators in Yiwu actually graduated from the Arabic language school in Ningxia. Recent years have seen many Ningxia-born young people coming back to Ningxia. We officials went to Egypt last year, and we took some translators with us. I saw many young people from Ningxia manage their business in Egypt, including restaurants and shops that sell agricultural products from Ningxia. Many young people are willing to come back now because Ningxia needs them for further regional development, and Ningxia could provide good job opportunities for them.

Inland opening-up pilot economic zone in Ningxia offers a chance for every Ningxia resident. It is not only the government who would benefit from the transformation. If Ningxia people embrace the opening-up activities, visitors from Arabic or other areas will feel the amiability of Ningxia people. This will lead to more prosperous economic cooperation, and will attract talents to come to Ningxia.

Ningxia also needs to cultivate talents. Ningxia needs a variety of talents - not only Arabic language talents. The tourism industry also needs special talents suitable for this industry. Other industries also need talents equipped with special skills. For example, Ningxia's coal chemical industry is developing fast. As a result, workers capable of new coal chemical technologies are needed. Ningxia's ever-flourishing vocational education is providing skilled workers for various industries and service sectors.

In sum, we could gain better talent resources by cultivating, calling back and introducing. For those high-level professionals that Ningxia needs the most, greater efforts should be made to introduce them. For example, finance experts are highly needed. A newly graduated student majoring in finance won't be capable of organizing a financial meeting. Ningxia needs some experienced professionals to take the lead in establishing banks, private financial institutes, funds companies, or companies that provide financing management services for enterprises. With the help of those professionals, inexperienced talents and companies will grow in Ningxia. This will be a positive move towards the development of Ningxia as an inland opening-up pilot economic zone.