BEIJING, June 1 Asia Pulse - China's booming economy has attracted people from across the world to work in the fastest-growing major economy.
Those with foreign employment permits working in China numbered 180,000 by the end of 2006, double the figure in 2003, according to statistics published by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.
These people are mainly from the United States, South Korea, Japan, Britain, Germany and Canada. Many of them are working in large coastal cities such as Shanghai (54,608), Beijing (30,484) and Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province (6,800).
According to the statistics, foreign people working in Shanghai come from 130 countries. Included are 28.6 per cent from Japan, 12.3 per cent from the United States and 8.9 per cent from South Korea. Those working in Guangzhou come from 108 countries, with the number of people from Japan accounting for 29 per cent of the total.
Of foreigners working in Shanghai, 25.4 per cent are chairmen and vice chairmen, general managers and vice general managers, financial directors and human resources department directors; 6.1 per cent are senior technical officials and 3.1 per cent are chief representatives of foreign enterprises offices in China.
These people are mainly in the sectors of leasing and commercial service, manufacturing, information transmission, computer service and software, lodging and catering.
They have sound educational backgrounds; 2.6 per cent with PH.D diploma, 16.4 per cent with Master degree, and 69.4 per cent with bachelor degree.
According to the statistics, foreigners in Guangzhou are mainly working in companies and offices funded by investors from foreign countries as well as Hong Kong and Macao.
