China will improve its rules for issuing permanent residence status to foreigners in an effort to boost the country’s talent pool.

The reform serves the nation’s talent development strategy and responds to social concern, according to a meeting of the Central Leading Group for Deepening Overall Reform, chaired by President Xi Jinping, yesterday.

The meeting approved documents related to foreign affairs, proposing that Party leadership in local governments’ foreign affairs work should be strengthened and the management and supervisory mechanism of organs stationed overseas should be reformed, according to a statement issued after the meeting.

Xi said leading officials should play key roles in pushing forward the reform related to foreign affairs, urging them to prioritize reform mission.

In 2016, 1,576 foreigners became permanent Chinese residents, an increase of 163 percent over the previous year, official figures showed.

The statement suggests that professional development of foreign affairs workers and foreign aid should be reformed.

Current recruitment and selection should be enhanced to foster a team of workers involved in foreign services who are politically steadfast, professional in work, have a fine work style and strict in following discipline.

The strategic layout of foreign aid should be optimized and the management of the funds and projects should be improved, the statement said.

A plan on the development of a large number of industrial workers was also adopted to consolidate the sustainable and healthy development of the economy and society, according to the statement. The industrial workers are expected to be motivated by ideals and shall be innovative and responsible in their work.

It said the outstanding problems affecting industrial workers should be addressed and efforts should be made to improve the workers’ quality and protect their rights and interests.

In addition, the statement urged standardized development of non-governmental think tanks, asking them to put social responsibility first and study major projects of the Party and the state.

Efforts will be made to expand channels for their participation in policy-making and perfect the policy for talent management, the statement said, adding that an information publicity system should be established.

A consultation committee of the national science and technology decision-making should give advice on innovation and focus on the forefront of world science and technology, raising suggestions on how to boost social and economic development, improve people’s lives and build up national defense.

China will further open up public information resources and boost the large-scale application of such resources in an innovative way.

Participants in the meeting also agreed to improve the personnel system, payment, performance assessment and dismissal systems within the country’s major state media outlets.