Games host Hangzhou is going for gold

City’s mayor says innovation, talent key to its ambitions

Hangzhou has witnessed robust development since it hosted the G20 Summit in September 2016, and even greater things are in the pipeline, according to its mayor, Xu Liyi.

The eastern Chinese metropolis, which is set to host the 19th Asian Games in 2022, is increasingly becoming a global destination as it works to improve its competitiveness, cultural charms and creative vitality.

The standing committee of Hangzhou people’s congress passed a motion recently to designate Sept 5 — the day the G20 Summit ended in 2016 — as Hangzhou’s International Day, in the hopes of further promoting its internationalization and enable the city to be better known throughout the world.

“The successful hosting of the G20 Summit provided a golden opportunity for the internationalization of Hangzhou,” Xu, the city’s mayor and deputy Party secretary, said in a recent interview.

He said he has always regarded innovation and internationalization as driving forces behind sustainable development in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province.

To seek better high-quality development, the city’s capabilities in attracting international talent should be seen as one of its core strengths, according to Xu.

“To attract more qualified talent, we need to spare no effort in building a favorable policy system that serves that goal, including funding support, financing and market entry, and a sound talent-development ecology to promote innovation to enable them to realize their ‘Hangzhou dream’,” the mayor said.

Hangzhou is home to 2.29 million individuals of recognized talent, with 442,000 considered high quality, according to local government data. It has also attracted 29,000 talented workers previously based abroad, including 15,000 expats.

Last year, the city welcomed 79,000 university graduates, among whom 10,000 were at postgraduate level. It also ranks among the top three Chinese cities in terms of appealing to foreign talent, according to China National Radio.

On the policy front, top-notch talented individuals and their teams are entitled to up to 100 million yuan ($15.7 million) in startup funds when they seek to establish businesses in the city.

“We’re also pushing forward construction of incubators and innovation centers such as the Zhejiang Lab,” Xu said, “as well as enhancing cooperation with leading research and development institutions from home and abroad to attract more talent and capital, to help boost Hangzhou’s development.”