Memorabilia of the 75 Years of Study Abroad in New China (1949-2024)

On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, we have specially sorted out the major events of studying abroad since the founding of New China, reviewed with you the glorious history of studying abroad in New China, paid tribute to the 75th birthday of New China, paid tribute to the vast number of overseas students who have contributed to the construction and development of New China in the past 75 years, and paid tribute to the staff who have fought on the front line of studying abroad in the past 75 years.

01

6 Dec 1949

The Culture and Education Committee of the Government Council has established a committee for handling the return of international students. In response to the call of the central government, overseas students broke through layers of resistance to return to China and devoted themselves to the construction of New China.

02

6 September 1950

The first batch of 25 state-sent students from the People's Republic of China set off to study in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary, and Bulgaria.

03

August 13 and 19, 1951

The People's Republic of China sent the first batch of 375 students to the former Soviet Union.

04

Early 1952

The Reserve Department for Studying in the Soviet Union was established. After the 60s of the 20th century, the preparatory department for studying in the Soviet Union was expanded into the training department for overseas students, and English, German, French and other languages were added one after another.

05

1952 year

The Central Leading Group for International Students (Work) was established, and the management cadres of international students were successively dispatched to the Chinese embassies in relevant countries.

06

17 November 1957

Chairman Mao Zedong met with Chinese students at Moscow University in the former Soviet Union and delivered a famous speech entitled "Hope is pinned on you".

07

10 January 1958

The Ministry of Higher Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued the Regulations on the Management of International Students Sent to Various Countries.

08

April 13-May 9, 1959

The first working conference for international students in New China was held. The meeting announced that from 1949 to 1958, more than 10,000 students of various types were sent to study abroad, and more than 9,000 students had returned to China after completing their studies.

09

March 5, 1964

The Foreign Affairs Office of the State Council and the Ministry of Higher Education submitted to the Central Committee the Report on Emergency Measures to Solve the Current Serious Shortage of Foreign Language Cadres. According to the report, the Foreign Affairs Office of the State Council agreed to the three-year plan of the Ministry of Higher Education to send international students from 1964 to 1966, and planned to send a total of 1,750 international students within three years. This includes sending high school graduates to study in capitalist countries. On March 12, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China approved the report.

10

September 15, 1972

The Science and Education Group of the State Council issued the "Notice on Sending Fellows to France to Study French" and decided to send 20 French-speaking trainees to France. On December 4, the Science and Education Group of the State Council issued the "Notice on Sending English Continuing Education Teachers to United Kingdom", and on December 14, 16 national public study abroad personnel went to the United Kingdom for further study. At the end of the year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs selected the first batch of language students sent by the state to Japan after the founding of the People's Republic of China.

11

October 16, 1974

The State Council approved the issuance of the "Report on Improving and Strengthening the Selection and Management of Overseas Students". The "Report" proposes to send full-time management cadres of international students to countries with a large number of Chinese students.

12

21 February 1976

The Ministry of Education issued the 1976 Plan for Sending Persons to Study Abroad. On December 20, the Ministry of Education issued the Notice on the Selection of (About 200) Overseas Students in 1977.

13

June 23, 1978

When listening to the work report of the Ministry of Education, Deng Xiaoping made a strategic decision to expand the number of students sent to study abroad.

14

August 4, 1978

The Ministry of Education issued the "Notice on the Election of Additional Scholars and Graduate Students Studying Abroad", proposing that the number of students studying abroad should be increased to more than 3,000 in 1978.

15

26 December 1978

The first batch of 52 students sent to study in the United States departed.

16

May 5, 1979

The Ministry of Education issued the "Notice on the Establishment of the Preparatory Department for Overseas Students and Opinions on the Arrangement of Infrastructure Investment", and since then, it has successively established training departments for overseas students in 11 colleges and universities across the country, including Beijing University of Foreign Chinese.

17

December 20-29, 1979

The Working Conference for Students Studying Abroad was held in Beijing.

18

January 14, 1981

The State Council approved and forwarded the Interim Provisions on Self-financed Study Abroad jointly issued by the Ministry of Education and other seven departments. On March 31, 1982, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China issued the Decision on Several Issues Concerning Self-financed Study Abroad. On December 26, 1984, the State Council issued the revised Interim Provisions on Self-financed Study Abroad.

19

November 30, 1984

The central government convened a national work conference on the introduction of foreign talents and those studying abroad.

20

Around New Year's Day in 1985

The State Council organized a delegation of condolences to overseas students, which went to 21 countries in four routes to express condolences to those studying abroad.

21

May 4, 1986

The "Circular of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Several Issues Concerning Improving and Strengthening the Work of Overseas Students" was issued, which clarified the working policy of "dispatching students according to needs, ensuring quality, and consistent learning and application". On December 13, the State Council issued the Notice of the State Council on Approval and Transfer to the State Education Commission (Guo Fa [1986] No. 107), which was published in full in the People's Daily on June 11 of the following year.

22

May 1987

The magazine "Shenzhou Scholar" was launched, and Comrade Deng Xiaoping inscribed the title of the magazine. On January 12, 1995, the electronic version of Shenzhou Scholars was founded. This is the first Chinese online news media in Chinese mainland.

23

March 31, 1989

The Service Center for Scholarly Study of the Ministry of Education was established.

24

October 6, 1989

General Secretary Jiang Zemin met with representatives of returnees from studying abroad at the Huairen Hall in Zhongnanhai and delivered a speech on "Hope is still on you." The full text of the speech was first published in the second issue of Shenzhou Scholar in 1990.

25

January 17, 1990

The General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China issued a circular requiring that "the State Education Commission may allocate 20% of the total annual funds for overseas students to do a good job in the resettlement of overseas students returning to China and solve their scientific research and housing problems." Accordingly, the State Education Commission established the "Scientific Research Funding Fund for Returned Overseas Students" in that year, which was later renamed as the "Scientific Research Start-up Fund for Returned Overseas Students of the Ministry of Education" in 1997.

26

November 16-22, 1990

The first National Exhibition of Scientific and Technological Achievements of Returnees from Overseas Studies was held in Beijing.

27

January 1992

Deng Xiaoping delivered an important speech during his southern tour. On January 25, when inspecting the high-tech enterprises of overseas students in Zhuhai, Guangdong, he expressed the hope that all those who went abroad to study would come back. Regardless of their political attitudes in the past, they can come back and make proper arrangements when they come back. Tell them that if they want to contribute, it's better to return home.

28

August 12, 1992

The General Office of the State Council issued the "Notice on Issues Concerning Overseas Students" (Guo Ban Fa [1992] No. 44), which aroused strong repercussions among overseas students.

29

November 14, 1993

The Third Plenary Session of the 14th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China adopted the "Decision on Several Issues Concerning the Establishment of a Socialist Market Economic System", which clearly defined the policy of studying abroad as "supporting study abroad, encouraging return to China, and coming and going freely".

30

September 1994

The first overseas student entrepreneurship park in Chinese mainland - Jinling Overseas Students Entrepreneurship Park was established in Nanjing.

31

February 29, 1996

The State Education Commission issued the "Notice on Doing a Good Job in the Comprehensive Trial Implementation of the 1996 Reform of the Methods for the Selection and Assignment of Nationally Funded Persons Studying Abroad", and decided to comprehensively implement the management measures for the selection and assignment of state-funded students studying abroad on a comprehensive basis in accordance with the principle of "individual application, expert review, equal competition, merit-based admission, contract assignment, and compensation for breach of contract".

32

April 25, 1996

The State Education Commission has set up the "Chunhui Plan" to encourage and appropriately subsidize high-level overseas students to return to China for short-term work or service.

33

June 20, 1996

The Office of the Central Establishment Committee approved the establishment of the China Scholarship Council.

34

January 21-23, 1997

The State Education Commission and the Ministry of Personnel jointly convened the "National Conference on Returning Overseas Students" to commend 318 outstanding returnees and 25 advanced units for studying abroad during the Eighth Five-Year Plan period.

35

September 12, 1997

The report of the 15 th National Congress of the Communist Party of China pointed out that it is necessary to encourage overseas students to return to China to work or serve the motherland in an appropriate way.

36

December 28-30, 1998

The first Guangzhou Science and Technology Exchange Conference for Chinese Overseas Students was held.

37

February 3-4, 1999

The National Report on the Achievements of Returning Overseas Students was held in Beijing.

38

August 24, 1999

The Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Public Security, and the State Administration for Industry and Commerce issued the "Provisions on the Administration of Intermediary Services for Self-financed Study Abroad" and the "Detailed Rules for the Implementation of the Regulations on the Administration of Intermediary Services for Self-financed Study Abroad". On January 15 of the following year, the Ministry of Education issued the first batch of "Qualification Certificates for Self-financed Study Abroad Intermediary Service Agencies".

39

September 18, 1999

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the State Council, and the Central Military Commission awarded the "Two Bombs and One Star" Meritorious Service Medal. Deng Jiaxian, Wang Daheng, Wang Xiji, Zhu Guangya, Sun Jiadong, Ren Xinmin, Wu Ziliang, Chen Fangyun, Chen Nengkuan, Yang Jiaqi, Zhou Guangzhao, Qian Xuesen, Tu Shouyi, Huang Weilu, Cheng Kaijia, Peng Huanwu, Wang Ganchang, Zhao Jiuzhang, Yao Tongbin, Qian Sanqiang, Guo Yonghuai, and other scientific and technological experts who have made outstanding contributions to the development of the "two bombs and one satellite" were awarded the "Two Bombs and One Satellite" Meritorious Service Medal.

40

October 1, 1999

Hundreds of representatives of overseas students were invited to participate in the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China at the Tiananmen viewing platform.

41

November 1, 2002

The State Council issued the "Decision on Canceling the First Batch of Administrative Examination and Approval Projects", simplifying the examination and approval procedures for self-financed study abroad for college degree holders, and canceling the 13-year-old self-funded study abroad training fee policy.

42

In 2003

The pilot project of "National Scholarship for Outstanding Self-financed International Students" was implemented, and a special excellence award was added to the award in 2011.

43

September 28, 2003

The unveiling ceremony of the name of the "Chinese Overseas Students Association" was held in the Great Hall of the People.

44

September 30, 2003

General Secretary Hu Jintao met at the Great Hall of the People with delegates attending the National Commendation Conference for Advanced Individuals and Advanced Work Units for Returnees from Studying Abroad, and delivered an important speech, pointing out that the vast number of overseas students are the precious wealth of the country.

45

February 29 - March 2, 2004

The exhibition of entrepreneurial achievements of Chinese students returning to China was held in Beijing.

46

July 17, 2006

Co-sponsored by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science and Technology, the first "Chunhui Cup" Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition for Chinese Overseas Students was launched.

47

January 5, 2007

The State Council approved the establishment of the "National Construction of High-level University Public Postgraduate Program".

48

February 15, 2007

16 ministries and commissions jointly issued the "Opinions on Establishing a Green Channel for Overseas High-level Talents to Return to China".

49

2 Mar 2011

The Opinions of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Further Improving the Work of Overseas Students (Jiao Wai Liu (2011) No. 2) was issued.

50

October 21, 2013

General Secretary Xi Jinping attended the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the European and American Returned Scholars Association and delivered an important speech, putting forward the policy of "supporting study abroad, encouraging return to China, coming and going freely, and playing a role" in the new era.

51

January 16, 2014

General Secretary Xi Jinping replied to all the students studying in Germany, affirming their patriotic feelings of caring for the motherland and serving the country and the people, and encouraging them to use what they have learned to serve the motherland and the people as soon as possible.

52

December 12-13, 2014

The National Conference on Studying Abroad was held in Beijing. In his important instructions to the meeting, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the study abroad work should be planned as a whole to study abroad and study in China, and continue to make new and greater contributions to the realization of the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

53

May 18-20, 2015

General Secretary Xi Jinping attended the Central United Front Work Conference and delivered an important speech, emphasizing that overseas students are the new focus of united front work.

54

February 2016

The General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council issued the "Several Opinions on Doing a Good Job in Opening Up Education to the Outside World in the New Era". The "Opinions" put forward that the development of study abroad should be accelerated and the quality of study abroad education should be improved.

55

March 2016

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China issued the "Opinions on Deepening the Reform of the System and Mechanism of Talent Development". In May, General Secretary Xi Jinping made important instructions on the "Opinions", emphasizing that it is necessary to accelerate the construction of a globally competitive talent system and gather talents from all over the world to use them.

56

July 2016

The Ministry of Education issued the "Action to Promote the Belt and Road Initiative". It is proposed to promote more Chinese students to study in countries along the Belt and Road, and improve the whole chain of overseas student management service system.

57

26 May 2017

General Secretary Xi Jinping gave important instructions on the advanced deeds of Comrade Huang Danian, a famous geophysicist and scholar who returned to China from studying in the UK.

58

30 Dec 2017

General Secretary Xi Jinping sent a letter to Chinese students at Moscow University, encouraging them to carry forward the glorious tradition of studying abroad to serve the country, have great ambitions, study hard, and grow into outstanding talents who can take on great responsibilities as soon as possible.

59

March 5, 2018

Premier Li Keqiang proposed in the "Government Work Report" to create an upgraded version of "entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship" to encourage overseas students to return to China for innovation and entrepreneurship. On April 4, Premier Li Keqiang presided over an executive meeting of the State Council to determine the implementation of preferential policies for entrepreneurship of returnees and all-round support for the development of start-ups of returnees.

60

7 Mar 2018

When General Secretary Xi Jinping participated in the deliberations of the Guangdong delegation during the two sessions, he stressed that development is the first priority, talent is the first resource, innovation is the first driving force, and local talents and returnees should be used equally.

61

September 10-11, 2018

The first National Education Conference of the new era was held, and General Secretary Xi Jinping attended and delivered an important speech, making new arrangements for the opening up of education.

62

December 18, 2018

At the celebration of the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up, General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech. Wang Daheng, Sun Jiadong, Li Yanhong, Wu Liangyong, Lin Yifu, Nan Rendong, Zhong Nanshan, Cheng Kaijia, Pan Jianwei and other overseas students who have made outstanding contributions were awarded the title of reform pioneers.

63

March 5, 2019

In his government work report, Premier Li Keqiang proposed to further deepen mass entrepreneurship and innovation, and optimize services for returned students and foreign talents. On July 3, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Finance and the People's Bank of China jointly issued the Notice on Doing a Good Job in the Employment and Entrepreneurship of College Graduates under the Current Situation, which included returnees from studying abroad in the public employment talent service system.

64

March 8, 2019

When General Secretary Xi Jinping participated in the deliberations of the Henan delegation during the two sessions, he said that many returnees also went to the countryside to find entrepreneurial opportunities, and the modern countryside is a promising land and a field of hope.

65

27 Mar 2019

The Ministry of Education releases data on studying abroad. According to the data, the total number of mainland students studying abroad in 2018 was 662,100. From 1978 to the end of 2018, a total of 5,857,100 people studied abroad. Among them, 1,533,900 are studying and researching abroad, 4,323,200 have completed their studies, and 3,651,400 have chosen to return to China for development after completing their studies.

66

In 2019

China's government service platform has been put into trial operation, and the "Internet + Study Abroad Service" platform of the Overseas Study Service Center of the Ministry of Education has been put into operation one after another, providing the whole process of online and one-network services for the majority of overseas students.

67

17 Sep 2019

President Xi Jinping signed a presidential decree conferring national medals and honorary titles on 42 people. Sun Jiadong, a returnee from studying abroad, was awarded the "Medal of the Republic", and Ye Peijian, Wu Wenjun, Nan Rendong (Manchu), Gu Fangzhou, and Cheng Kaijia were awarded the national honorary title of "People's Scientist".

68

March 2020

Since the outbreak of the new crown pneumonia epidemic and its global spread, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made many important instructions and instructions, putting forward clear requirements for the prevention and control of the epidemic among overseas Chinese students. The Ministry of Education has made every effort to prevent and control the epidemic among overseas students, strengthened care and care for overseas students, and adopted six "strengthening" measures to work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to prevent and control the novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic among overseas Chinese students. Chinese embassies and consulates abroad have made every effort to do a good job in the prevention and control of the epidemic among overseas students, and overcome the difficulties with them.

69

June 2020

The "Opinions of the Ministry of Education and Other Eight Departments on Accelerating and Expanding the Opening Up of Education in the New Era" was issued, and the "Opinions" adhered to internal and external coordination, improved quality and efficiency, actively led, and opened up in an orderly manner, and made key arrangements for the opening up of education in the new era.

70

17 Sep 2020

The Ministry of Education issued an announcement to cancel the "Certificate of Returnees from Overseas Students" from November 1, 2020.

71

January 21-22, 2021

The first national member congress of the European and American Returned Scholars Association (Chinese Overseas Students Association) was held.

72

May 2021

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security organized and compiled the "Construction and Service Specifications for Overseas Students' Pioneer Parks" officially implemented. For the first time, the "Specification" put forward a recommended industry standard for the construction services of the Overseas Students' Pioneer Park.

73

August 2021

The State Council issued the "14th Five-Year Plan for Employment Promotion", which mentions that "graduates who have returned from studying abroad will be included in the scope of public employment talent services in a timely manner", "support local governments to further accelerate the construction of overseas student pioneer parks, and continue to promote the joint construction of provinces and ministries", and release good information on the employment of overseas students.

74

September 8, 2021

Xi Jinping replied to the letter and encouraged the representatives of the Huang Danian-style teacher team in colleges and universities across the country, hoping that they will continue to learn and carry forward the noble spirit of Comrade Huang Danian and other outstanding teachers, and work together with the majority of teachers in colleges and universities across the country to cultivate morality, self-cultivation, devote themselves to study, pioneer and innovate, truly unify learning, work and people, be a good guide for the growth of students, and continue to make new contributions to cultivating socialist builders and successors with all-round development of morality, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics and labor, and building a modern socialist country in an all-round way.

75

September 27-28, 2021

Xi Jinping stressed the need to adhere to the world's frontier of science and technology, the main battlefield of the economy, the major needs of the country, and the life and health of the people, and thoroughly implement the strategy of strengthening the country with talents in the new era, cultivate, introduce and make good use of talents in an all-round way, and accelerate the construction of the world's important talent center and innovation highland. The convening of the conference is of great guiding significance for the development of overseas talents in the future.

76

March 2022

On February 23, the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out. On the 28th, an evacuation operation with the most complex environment, the most dangerous situation, the most difficult, the most worrying evacuation groups, and the largest number of participating embassies began. With the great attention of the Party and the state, under the guidance of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in conjunction with relevant departments, and with the joint efforts of the cadres who have been sent abroad through education, by March 9, none of the 2,700 students who had applied for evacuation had been left behind, and no one had been injured or injured, and all of them had been safely evacuated from Ukraine.

77

May 18, 2022

General Secretary Xi Jinping replied to the young scholars who returned from studying abroad at Nanjing University, hoping that young teachers and students would take the older generation of scientists as an example, vigorously carry forward the glorious tradition of studying abroad to serve the country, and encourage them to serve the country and serve the people as their conscious pursuit, make new achievements in insisting on cultivating people with virtue and promoting self-reliance and self-reliance in science and technology, and strive to set an example in strengthening cultural self-confidence and telling Chinese stories well, so as to actively contribute wisdom and strength to the comprehensive construction of a modern socialist country and the realization of the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

78

June 2022

The service hall of "e-Netcom for Study Abroad" was officially incorporated into the national smart education public service platform to provide services to the outside world, realizing the collaborative sharing and use process of all data for foreign academic degree certification.

79

August 26, 2022

The Ministry of Education and Beijing Municipality signed the Cooperation Framework Agreement on the Demonstration Zone for Overseas Talents to Return to China to jointly increase the introduction and service of overseas talents, and help Beijing build a world talent highland.

80

September 2022

The National Employment Service Platform for Overseas Talents was officially launched.

81

October 2022

The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Education issued the Measures for the Management of Funds for Study Abroad to further standardize the management of funds for studying abroad.

82

January 29, 2023

The Service Center for Scholarly Study of the Ministry of Education issued an announcement saying that in order to effectively protect the interests of the majority of overseas students and maintain educational fairness, the center has decided to cancel the special certification rules during the epidemic.

83

May 29, 2023

General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over the fifth collective study of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and delivered an important speech on building a strong country in education, emphasizing the need to improve the strategy and strategy of opening up education, make overall plans for the two major articles of "bringing in" and "going out", and effectively use world-class educational resources and innovative elements to make the mainland an important education center in the world with strong influence. It is necessary to actively participate in global education governance, vigorously promote the construction of the "Study in China" brand, tell Chinese stories well, disseminate Chinese experience, and make Chinese voices heard, so as to enhance the international influence and discourse power of mainland education.

84

September 2023

The China Scholarship Council issued the Notice on Further Optimizing the Management of Study Abroad Services on Public Assignment.

85

October 21, 2023

On the occasion of the 110th anniversary of the establishment of the European and American Returned Scholars Association, General Secretary Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to express warm congratulations to the European and American Returned Scholars Association (Chinese Overseas Students Association) on behalf of the CPC Central Committee, and extend sincere greetings to the majority of overseas students and overseas students. The congratulatory letter fully affirmed the positive contributions made by the European and American Returned Scholars Association, profoundly expounded the mission and tasks of the European and American Returned Scholars Association, placed ardent expectations and clear requirements on the majority of overseas students, and injected strong impetus into the work of overseas students in the new era and provided fundamental guidance.

86

November 15, 2023

President Xi Jinping attended a welcome banquet jointly hosted by United States friendship groups and delivered an important speech. President Xi Jinping said that in order to expand exchanges between the Chinese and American peoples, especially the younger generation, China is willing to invite 50,000 United States teenagers to China for exchange and study in the next five years.

87

June 24, 2024

The National Science and Technology Conference, the National Science and Technology Award Conference, and the Academician Conference of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Sciences were held. The two winners of the highest science and technology award, Academician Li Deren and Academician Xue Qikun, are both returnees from studying abroad.

88

September 9-10, 2024

The National Education Conference was held in Beijing. General Secretary Xi Jinping attended the meeting and delivered an important speech, extending holiday congratulations and sincere greetings to teachers and educators across the country on behalf of the CPC Central Committee. Xi Jinping stressed that it is necessary to further promote the opening up of education to the outside world, coordinate "bringing in" and "going out", and continuously enhance the international influence, competitiveness and discourse power of mainland education. China will expand international academic exchanges and cooperation in education and scientific research, actively participate in global education governance, and contribute more to the development of global education.

89

September 25, 2024

The "Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Implementing the Employment Priority Strategy to Promote High-quality and Full Employment" was released, which clearly pointed out that "support the return of overseas students to enjoy employment and entrepreneurship policies and services equally", and release the employment and entrepreneurship benefits of returned overseas students.