This document provides an overview of becoming a foreign expert in China and working at Shenyang Aerospace University. It begins with an introduction to the presenter, Kris Liebaut, a Belgian national who has been a foreign expert at SAU for 4 years. It then provides background information on Shenyang and SAU. As a foreign expert, Kris' job involves 80% teaching English and French, as well as other duties like giving lectures and organizing events. SAU is a top aerospace university in China with over 20,000 students and international partnerships. It offers bachelor's and master's degree programs, including some taught in English.

1. How to be a Foreign Expert in
China?
Kris Liebaut
Foreign Expert
Shenyang Aerospace University - China

2. Overview
1. About myself
2. About Shenyang
3. About my job
4. About Shenyang Aerospace University
5. The Foreign Expert in China
6. Q & A

3. 1. About myself…
 Intro
 Hobbies
 Education
 Experience

4. Intro
 Personal view on being a foreign expert
 Foreign Expert at a UniversityTeacher
 Info given is subject to change

5. Personalia
 Name: Kris Liebaut
 Nationality: Belgian
 Birth place: Aalst
 Birth date: 16 December 1972
 Marital status: married, 1 child

6. With my Chinese wife 杨金豹
and “our world citizen” Alex - 李曌宇

7. Hobbies
 Space travel & astronomy
Active member of astronomical & aeronautical
associations in Belgium, Ireland and Spain
JVS Sirius/Murzim vzw in Aalst (since 1986)
 Travelling, archaeology and science

8. Education
 University College Ghent
Mercator Faculty of Applied Business
Bachelor Secretarial Management - Languages
1995
 PCVO – Ghent & VTH – Aalst
School for evening classes
Chinese, Spanish, French and German
1995-2007
 Vrij Technisch Instituut - Aalst
Senior secondary technical school
Diploma in A2 Electronics
Certificate of competence
1991

9. Work experience (1995-now)
 Shenyang Aerospace University - China
 Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce - Ghent
 Flanders Investment & Trade/APAC - Brussels
 UZ Ghent
 AIJ Ibérica/Première Travel/Villapac - Spain
 UPS - Ireland
 Belgacom - Brussels
 Distrigas - Brussels

10. 2. About Shenyang,
Liaoning province, China

11. Shenyang skyline

12. Shenyang situation
 Northeast China (Dongbei 东北 )
 Capital of Liaoning province
 +/- 900km from Beijing
 Easy access by plane/rail/road from Beijing
+/- 1 hour by plane
+/- 4 hours by high speed train
+/- 8 hours by bus

13. Largest cities in China
(population in million)
1. Chongqing 28
2. Shanghai 18
3. Beijing 12
4. Tianjin 11
5. Guangzhou 10
6. Harbin 9.8
7. Wuhan 8.9
8. Xi’an 8.3
9. Shenyang 8.1

14. Shenyang 沈阳 : a “2nd tier city”
 “Shenyang City”
 area: 3,464 km2 km2 (+/- West-Flanders)
 population: 5,743,718 (+/- Flanders)
 “Shenyang DC”
 area: 12,942 km2 km2 (+/- Flanders)
 population: 8,106,171 (Flanders+Wallonia)
 “Big size, many people” to Belgian standards

16. Shenyang
“From rust belt to green belt”
 China’s industrial revolution started here!
 Heavy industry since 1930s: mining, steel, machinery, electrical
equipment and heavy-duty machines.
 Past: One of the world’s most polluted cities
 Dirty, inefficient, polluting heavy industries
 Progress: In 1999 UN Model city for sustainable development
 Present: Renewing its heavy industry & introducing new industries
 Automotive (BMW, GM, Michelin,...)
 green energy (solar panels, wind turbines,...)
 Aerospace (SAI, SAC, SLAG, AVIC Shenyang,..
Parts for Airbus & Boeing Comac C919 ARJ21
 Steel: 2 steel cord plants from Bekaert!
 Bekaert Shenyang Steel Cord Co. Ltd (BSSC)
 Bekaert Shenyang Advanced Products Co. Ltd (BSAP)

18. Industry

19. Shenyang weather
 Continental climate
 Annual average t°= 8C
 4 seasons are distinctive
 Mild spring & autumn with some rain
 Dry cold winters (-11C average)
 Humid hot summers (+25C average)
 Extreme t°: −33C to +39 C
 Windy, few cloudy and rainy days

20. Some tourist seeings…

21. Shenyang’s “Forbidden City”
沈阳故宫 - Shenyang Gugong
 Imperial palace build between 1625 & 1636 by
Nuerhachi (Taizu), 1st emperor Qing dynasty.
 2nd largest palace in China (60 000m2):
114 buildings, >500 rooms
 “Mini version” of Beijing’s “Forbidden city”
 Since 2004 UNESCO World Heritage Site.

23. Qipanshan mountains

31. 3. About my job…
 Foreign Expert at Shenyang Aerospace University
(SAU)
 Already 4 years
 In line with my education, experience and hobby
 80% teaching (English/French)
 20% “others”
 lectures, expos, negotiations,…

32. Teaching
 Courses (basic: 16 hours/week)
 Mostly Spoken English
 Chinese university students:
Practical English: Bachelor/Master, all majors
Aeronautical English: “Flyboys-girls”
 Pilots, Flight Attendants and Air Traffic Controllers
 Aircraft designers & engineers
 + Preparation of courses, administration,…

34. “Others”
 Giving lectures about aerospace
 Writing articles in journals
 Contact with foreign universities
 Organizing expos
 Receiving foreign delegations
 Member of the jury:
language contests
evaluation of French language teachers

35. “Made in space”
Space applications in our daily life
Presented by Kris Liebaut
Foreign Expert, SAU
March 18th 2011, 14h
SAU, Friendship Villa, room 708

36. Organizing expos, e.g.:
Belgium heart of Europe in 2011

38. Shenyang Aerospace University
沈阳航空航天大学
Shĕnyáng Hángkōng Hángtīan Dàxué

39. About SAU…
 Top 5 of Chinese aerospace universities
 Top 10 of universities in Liaoning
 Very strong in engineering
 Past: One of the six universities operated by
the Chinese Ministry of Aviation
 Now: Joint-operated by Liaoning Provincial
Department & Chinese Ministry of IT

40. SAU in a nutshell...
 “University city” in Shenyang, Liaoning province
 Located in the north of Shenyang (Shenbei New
District)
 Founded in 1952
 600,000 m2 floor space
 120ha landscaped gardens.
 1,600 staff of which
900 (incl.12 foreigners) are academic
 > 20,000 students (of which 200 foreigners)
 Library of > 2 million books

41. SAU offers…
 43 majors for bachelor degrees
 38 majors for master degrees
 Joint programs for PhDs
 Focus on engineering
 Recently enhanced with curricula in areas
like science, management and arts.

42. Partnerships
 network of 50 partnerships to provide
practical training both inside and outside the
campus
 Cooperative agreements with >70
universities & companies worldwide
 active exchange programs for teachers &
students

43. International students
2012-2013
 200 international students studying mainly:
International Business
Chinese Culture
Aircraft Manufacturing
Aerospace Propulsion Theory and Engineering

44. Universities with exchange programs
Per continent
 Asia: 28 (mostly South Korea)
 Europe: 23 (*)
 America: 12 (**) (only USA & Canada)
 Oceania: 5 (only Australia)
 Africa: 5
 */ Incl. Russia & Turkey
 **/ USA+Canada

45. Asia
 South Korea = 10
Seowon Univerity, Kyonggi University, Inha University,
Korea Aerospace University, Konkuk University, Soongsil University,
Far East University, Kwangju Women's University, Inha
Technical College, Jaeneung College
 Bangladesh = 3
 Aeronautical College of Bangladesh, Daffodil International University,
Brac University
 Japan: Hiroshima Institute of Technology, Kobe International University
 Sri Lanka: South Eastern University,
University of Sri Jayewardenepura
 Malaysia: University of Kuala Lumpur, University of Malaya
 Thailand: Burapha University, Thailand Chulalongkorn University
 Cambodia: University of Management and Economics
 Nepal: Tribuhuvan Univeristy
 Singapore: EASB Institute of Management Ngee Ann Polytechnic
 Indonesia : Malang State Polytechnic
 Laos : National University of Laos
 Pakistan : Mehran University, Jamshoro

46. Europe
 Russia
Amur State University, MATI-Russian State Technological University,
Komsomolsk-on-Amure State Technical University, South Ural University,
Novosibirsk State Technical University, Siberian State Aerospace University
 France
University of Picardy-Jules Verne Amiens, European Institute of Technology,
Institut Polytechnique des Sciences Avancees (IPSA)
 England
 De Montfort University, University of Wales Aberystwyth
 Spain
The University Group 9 (G-9), Universidad Europea de Madrid
 Ukraine
National Technical University, National Aviation University
 Germany: Bauhaus University Weimar
 Portugal: Lusofona University
 Sweden: Karlstad University
 Turkey: Ankara university
 Poland: Lublin University of Technology
 Czechia: VŠB-Technical University of Ostrava
 Cyprus: Frederick University
 Greece: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

47. America
 USA = 9
Saginaw Valley University, Mississippi State
University, University of Alaska, University of
California, Long Beach Air Safety Flight
Academy, Southern Virginia College, Bel-Air
International, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical
University, USA Aviation Flying School
 Canada = 3
National Institute of Aeronautic Techniques
Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
Canada International Education Center

48. Oceania (Australia)
 Central Queensland University
 Australia Griffith University
 University of Ballarat
 Swinburne University of Technology
 Flight Training Australia

49. Africa
 Kenya
Moi University
Kenya Aeronautical College
 Ethiopia
Jimma University
 Senegal
l'Université Cheikh Anta Diop De Dakar
 Nigeria
Nigerian College of Aviation Technology - Zaria

50. In Western Europe
 Very active exchange program with 2
French universities:
University of Picardy - Jules Verne in Amiens
Institut Polytechnique des Sciences Avancees
(IPSA) – Paris/Toulouse

52. UNIVERSITE de Picardie
LICENCE
(professional bachelor)
 Commercial development and exchange management
 Production optimization
A French-Chinese course

53. Institute of Technology (IUT)
Licence (Bachelor degree)
A French degree
for Chinese students
Production Optimization
 Commercial development and exchange management
Year 1: Prep. year in Shenyang  Intensive course on French language
Year 2: Licence 1 in Shenyang  30% French lecturers
Year 3: Licence 2 in Shenyang  30% French lecturers
Year 4: Licence 3 in Amiens (France)  100% French lecturers

54. Current exchange programs
 2+2: Bachelor’s & master’s students
 3+1: 3 years SAU + 1 year foreign university
 4+1: 4 years SAU + 1 year foreign university
 1 for 1: exchange program
 1 teacher/student SAU <> 1 from a foreign univ.
 Study trips
 Lectures from professors/teachers
 Summer camps
 Prospection visits
 Recognition of your degree in China
 …

55. Practical…
 Courses for international students taught in
English and/or Chinese
 Education in Chinese:
Pass Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK)
 E.g.: Level 6 for Bachelor of Arts
 E.g.: Level 3 for Bachelor in science
 Education in English:
TOEFL score: min. 550 or equivalent

56. Type of courses
 Required courses
 Chinese language
 Introduction to China
 Courses related with your major
 Elective courses
 Choose according to your interest

57. Programs for Bachelor Degrees
Currently available in English:
1. Computer Science and Technology
2. Telecommunication Engineering
3. Mechanical and Electronics Engineering
4. Aeronautical Engineering

58. All Bachelor Degree
Programs
01 Computer Science and Technology 02 Internet Engineering
03 Areonautical Engineering(Aircraft Manufacture Engineering) 04 Engineering Mechanics
05 Mechanical Design Manufacture & Automation 06 Aero-power Engineering
07 Thermal Energy and Power Engineering 08 Environment Engineering
09 Safety Engineering 10 Fire-fighting Engineering
11 Insurance 12 Flight Technology
13 Vehicle Engineering 14 Aircraft Design and Engineering
15 Electronic Information Engineering 16 Telecommunication Engineering
17 Measurement & Control Technology & Instruments 18 Automation
19 Metal Materials Engineering 20 Material Forming and Control Engineering
21 Macromolecule Material & Engineering 22 Public Affairs Management
23 Information Management & Information Systems 24 Tourism Management
25 Marketing 26 Industrial Engineering
27 Human Resources Management 28 International Economics & Trade
29 Finance 30 Information & Computational Science
31 Industrial Design 32 Clothing Design & Engineering
33 English 34 Japanese
35 Art Design 36 Animation
37 Numeral Medium Art 38 Advertisement
39 Transportation 40 Mechanical and Electronics Engineering
41 Detection, Guidance and Control Technology 42 Logistics Management
43 Applied Physics

59. Programs for Master Degrees
Currently available in English:
1. Enterprise Management
2. Computer Applied Technology
3. Mechanical Design and Theory
4. Signal and Information Processing
5. Mechatronics engineering
6. Thermal energy engineering
7. Aerospace Propulsion Theory and Engineering
8. Aircraft Manufacturing Engineering
9. Aviation Management

60. All programs for Master Degrees
Mechanical Manufacture and Automation Mechatronics engineering
Mechanical Design and Theory Thermal energy engineering
Materialogy Communication & Information systems
Pattern Recognition & Intelligence Systems Computer software & theories
Computer Software & Theory Computer system structures
Computer Applied Technology Digital signal & Information processing
Safety Technology & Engineering Material processing engineering
Aircraft Design General dynamics & Basic mechanics
Aerospace Propulsion Theory & Engineering Solid mechanics
Aircraft Manufacturing Engineering Engineering mechanics
Man-Machine & Environmental Engineering Engineering thermophysics
Education in Ideology & Politics Power mechanics & engineering
Art Design Fluid machinery & engineering
Engineering Mechanics Vehicle engineering
Enterprise Management Control theories & engineering
Aviation Management Detection technology & automation
System engineering Technical economy & management
Navigation, guidance & control Basic principles of Marxism
Science management & Engineering Research on sinicism of Marxism
Accounting Research on modern Chinese history

61. Outstanding International Students’
scholarship (OISS) – SAU *
 1st prize (min. avrge 85%, each course min 80%)
300RMB/month – 5% foreign students
 2nd prize (min. avrge 80%, each course min 75%)
200RMB/month – 10% foreign students
 3rd prize (min. avrge 70%, each course min 70%)
150RMB/month – 40% foreign students
 Single item scholarship (min. 65% all courses)
Between 50 & 100RMB/month
* For 2012-2013, Subject to change

62. CGS-UPP scholarship
 Chinese Government Scholarship – University Postgraduate Program
 Foreign Master degree students
 Not yet studying in Chinese universities
 Education background and age limits
 Excellent grades
 Not receiving any other scholarship at time of application
 Others: check website, subject to change
 For SAU, only following full-time postgraduate studies:
 Computer Science and Technology
 Mechanical Engineering
 Aerospace
 More info:
 http://laihua.csc.edu.cn
 http://www.csc.edu.cn

63. In Belgium
In Belgium:
 Till 2010:coop. KU Leuven/Fac.Engineering
 Present: Contacts with Ghent University,
Hasselt University, Group T, Liege
University and… Howest
 Till now: no cooperation

64. More info about SAU?
 Check out the website: http://en.sau.edu.cn/
 Chinese website in 5 foreign languages!
English/French/Chinese/Japanese/Korean

65. 5. The Foreign Expert in
China
Short history of the Foreign Experts
What’s a Foreign Expert?
How to be a Foreign Expert?

66. What’s a Foreign expert? (FE)
VAP = Value-Added Person
A foreigner whose knowledge cannot
be found (easily) in China

67. Short history of the Foreign Experts
1. Pioneers (7th-13th century)
2. Missionaries (1557-1949)
3. Soviet era (1949-1959)
4. Close door era (1960-1978)
5. Go global era (1979-now)

68. Pioneers (7th-13th century)
• “Foreigners via the silk road”
• Willem Van Rubroeck: Before Marco Polo!
• Marco Polo: First Foreign Expert?
“First taste of China in the West and vice
versa”

69. Tang dynasty (618-907)
• Via silk route several foreigners enter China
• New religions Buddhism, Islam,
Mazdeism, Christianity,… are introduced
• Culture strong influence of western
(mostly Indian/Persian) art, dance, music
and even foreign restaurants!
• Strong foreign influence ends in 845
– Will resume during Yuan dynasty

70. Yuan dynasty (1271-1368)
• Mongolian leader Khubilai Khan, ruler of China and
Mongolia (1215-1294)
• Completed conquest of China in 1271 + start Yuan dynasty
• First contacts with Christian monks from Europe:
• Willem Van Rubroeck (William of Rubruck), born in
Kassel, French-Flanders (over de Schreve).
– On behalf of the French King Louis IX, he travelled in 1253 as far
as Karakorum (Qara Qorum), then capital of the Mongol empire.
– On his return in 1255, William presented to Louis IX a very clear
and precise report in Latin one of the great masterpieces of
medieval geographical literature.

71. Marco Polo
The first foreign expert?
• Italian explorer Marco Polo (1254-1324)
• Son of a rich Venetian merchant
• Arrives in Beijing at Khubilai Khan’s court in
1274 and works for him as a “foreign
expert”.
• Travels 17 years through Asia.
• Returns in Venice in 1295.
• His report “Il Milione” is the most famous
book written about the Asian countries and
people he met underway.

72. Zheng He
“The Chinese Columbus”
• Zheng He (1371-1435), China’s famous
admiral
• 300 giant ships and 30 000 sailors
• 7 sailing trips to Southeast Asia, Arabia and
Africa
• Some of his ships discovered America long
before Columbus?
• After him, China closed itself again and would
pay a heavy price for it…

73. Missionaries (1557-1949)
West opened the door to China
 1557: Portuguese trade post Macao ( 澳门 )
 1624-1661: Dutch VOC rule of Taiwan
 Christian missionaries entering China via
Macau
 Most famous one: our “Ferdinand Verbiest”
 first Belgian Expert in China..
from West-Flanders!

74. Ferdinand Verbiest 南怀仁
°1623 Pittem, +1688 Beijing
 Born in Pittem, West-Flanders, Jesuit missionary during the
Qing dynasty.
 1st “Foreign Expert” at court of Chinese emperor Kangxi 康熙 .
 Astronomer, inventor, diplomat and engineer
 Improved Chinese astronomy by using European knowledge.
 ”Steam engineer”: designed the first ever small steam engine to
propel a toy car/ship.
 Emperor’s diplomat & translator
could speak and write 7 languages!
 “Project manager”: e.g.: construction of aquaducts & dikes,
casting of modern 132 cannons for the imperial army.
 In 1670-1674: designed 6 new astronomical instruments for the
Old Observatory in Beijing: instruments still on display!
 Died in 1688, only westerner in Chinese history with
posthumous name given by the Emperor.

75. Philippe Couplet - 柏应理
The man who brought China to Europe
• Philippe Couplet (°1623 -  1693) was a Belgian Jesuit missionary in China.
• He was born in Mechelen, Belgium (then: Spanish Netherlands).
• Philippe Couplet left for China in 1656 where he took various responsibilities.
• Upon his return to Europe in 1685, he brought with him 2 Chinese converts,
including Michael Shen Fu-Tsung (Miguel Shen Fuzong).
• Shen Fu-Tsung was one of the first Chinese men to visit Europe.
• Both Couplet and Shen answered questions about the nature of the Chinese
language posed by linguists in Oxford, Berlin and Vienna.
• In 1687 Couplet published the book: "Confucius, Philosopher of the Chinese".
• This was a translation of 3 books from which the study of the Confucian canon
traditionally started.
• Couplet’s preface to the translation highly praised the works of Confucius.
• With his book, Couplet was the first in history to introduce Chinese Confucian
thinking to the Western world!

76. Difficult times for “foreign experts”
• Start of the 18th century:
– Pope forbids confucianism, worship of ancestors and doesn’t
recognize the emperor as a god
–
Emperor’s reaction:
– 1721: all catholic missionaries must leave China
– 1724: China closed for foreign religions
• Start of difficult relations with foreigners, starting from the end of the
18th century till the middle of the 20th century!
• Dangerous times few western missionaries
 Change into non-missionary “Foreign Experts” like Paul Splingaerd

77. Paul Splingaerd - 林輔臣
From foundling to Belgian mandarin
• Paul Splingaerd (Brussels, 1842 - Xi'an, 1906) was a Belgian foundling who
became a high official or mandarin in the late Qing government.
• In China he was known by many names, including Lin Fuchen ( 林輔臣 ), Su Pe
Lin Ge Er de ( 斯普林格尔德 ) , Lin Balu, Lin Baoluo, Bilishi Lin, Lin Darin or Lin
Ta Jen.
• While running a trading business in Mongolia (1872–1881), Paul was called by
viceroy Li Hongzhang to serve as Customs Inspector at Jiuquan （酒泉） ,
Gansu province.
During his 14 years as a mandarin in Jiuquan, he ran the Small Pox clinic and
fostered understanding and appreciation of westerners, their culture and
technology.
• Paul acted as a liaison on various Sino-Belgian projects in the late nineteenth
century.
• The best known are the negotiations for Belgium to build the first major railway
in China, the Beijing-Hankou Railroad and the development of Belgian-Chinese
enterprises in Lanzhou, capital of Gansu province.
• In 2008 the city of Jiuquan, erected a statue in his honor.

78. Bloody interludium
“Tough times”
1911: “The last emperor” of the Qing dynasty
Start of the Republic of China
1911-1926: Chaotic period with warlords & increasing influence of Japan
1926-1937: 1st Civil War between nationalistic army of Chiang Kai-Shek (Jiang
Jieshi) and communists of Mao Zedong Long March 1934-1935
1937-1945: Chinese-Japanese War
1945-1949: 2nd Civil War, ending with Jiang Jieshi’s flight to Taiwan and start of
the People’s Republic of China on Oct.1
“Foreign Experts” mostly military advisors, businessmen or missionaries working
for own account or a foreign country

79. Soviet era (1949-1959)
• First 10 years of “New China”
• Foreign Experts mostly from Soviet Union and
called “Soviet Experts” or Soviet Consultants
• New China was learning (copying Soviet model)
• Soviet experts exerted strong influence on
architecture, industry, agriculture, education,
administration,,,
• Influence can still be seen today!

80. Close door era (1960-1978)
• August 1960: All Soviet experts left
 Hostility between Soviet Union & China
1966-1976: Cultural revolution
• Result:
– Expulsion of most foreigners
– Very few foreign experts
– China’s “stand still”

81. Foreign Teaching Experts
“Employing few but essential”
(1979-1991)
• After 1978: Denx Xiaoping’s Reform & opening-up policy
• “Project of Introduction of Foreign Intelligence”
• Foreign Experts reappeared mostly Foreign Teachers
• All foreign teachers
• introduced as Foreign Experts, regardless of academic
fields & educational qualifications
• selected by State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs
to taught in colleges & universities
• most from developed countries, employed in “institutions”
to teach almost everything from foreign languages to
subjects at “university level”
• Slogan: “Employing few but essential”

82. “Go global & diversify” (1991-now)
China’s globalization process
• 1991: Economical boom huge demand for Foreign Experts!
– Increasing opening-up & reform towards capitalism
– Policy and social attitude more open towards foreign teachers
• 1996: Administrative measures for educational institutions (EI’s).
Right for EI’s ,eligible to recruit foreign teachers, to decide number+who to
employ
• List of institutions qualified to employ foreign experts, published by State
Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, also has Kindergartens, language
training and middle schools, public and private schools.
• In 1994: 1130 institutions, 2001: 2087 institutions and 2009 already 5751 in
March of that year!
•
Explosive increase not only in numbers but also in type of foreign experts
• Not only in education, but also in business, industry,..
•
Since 1996: “Foreign Professionals” replaced the term “Foreign Experts”
Not only foreign experts and teachers in education, but also foreign CEOs in
joint ventures

83. Foreign Experts in China
“You are not alone”!
1979 : 117
1989: 257
1981: 401
1986-1991 : >600
2011: 529,000!

84. The future…
Quality before quantity
• Since 2011
• China Foreign Expert Bureau
– Start “Top Foreign Expert Program”
– Incl. “1000 Foreign Experts plan”
• Already employed 100 people.
Goal: In 10 years to employ
500 -1000 “Top Foreign Expert”

85. In Liaoning
 > 30 000 Foreign Experts in 2012
 Speech Liaoning governor Chen to attract 1500
new experts/year to “renew”
Liaoning’s old industrial base
 Election “Best Foreign Expert”
 Companies & institutions
 60 laureates in 2012:
Dutchmen Hemmo Luijeirink (Fuwa Global Heavy
Industry)
Others: Vice-Presidents of Brilliance-BMW &
Bombardier

86. Friendship Award
中华人民共和国友谊奖
Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó Youyì Jiǎng
• Literally "The People's Republic of China Friendship Award“
• People's Republic of China's highest award for "foreign experts who have
made outstanding contributions to the country's economic and social progress“
• First established in 1950s experts from Soviet Union and East European
countries by premier Zhou Enlai and foreign minister Chen Yi.
Friendship award abolished from 1960s till 1991.
• New Friendship Award in 1991
• Winners selected by State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA)
under the State Council.
• Consist of a medal + award certificate. Medal decorated with picture of the
Great Wall + inscription "Friendship Award" in Chinese (" 友谊奖 ")
• Besides the national friendship award, various local foreign expert awards are
also being made at the provincial, regional, and municipal levels.
• One of the laureates was Geert Roelens, Group Executive Vice-President
Bekaert, Belgium (2009)

87. What do you need to be a FE?
 Motivation
 Preparation
 Education
 Experience
 Guanxi (Networking)

88. Motivation
Why working abroad? Why China?
Take a paper with 2 columns: +/-
to check if China is your “cup of tea”
Large difference if you go to China for your Belgian (based) company for
short/long term!
If so: check paractical details with your company!
Remember:
grass is always greener on the other side!
working abroad = last one on the road!
Life in China = Laws of Murphy
You will not change China, China will change you!

89. Preparation
• Make your homework!
• Provide enough “start-up” money!
Willing to:
• learning the country, language and culture
• leave family & friends
• make a study tour!

90. Preparation (6 months-1year)
1. Idea
2. Reading & learning about China
3. Learning Chinese/Meeting Chinese
4. Job searching
1. Check Belgian administration
2. Check Chinese administration
3. Guanxi / Job sites / Job fairs
5. Sending your application letter + CV (English/Chinese)
6. Interviews by phone/in Belgium
7. Preparation tour to China (appointments already made)
8. Interview, discussion + sign/don’t sign the contract
9. Inform Belgian administration
10.Inform Chinese administration
11.Arrange practical details
12.Work

91. Belgian administration
• Your bank
• Passport (your city)
• Your employer/university
• Health insurance CM, BM,NZ,…
• Social security Union, DOSZ,…
• Unemployment office VDAB
• Tax office
• City admin “Dienst Bevolking”
• …

92. Chinese administration
• Visa (Chinese embassy)
• Documents from Employer/University/Hotel
in China
• Medical examination
• Switch from Z visa to residence permit
• Opening a Chinese bank account

94. Chinese visa for foreigners
 Z visa – “Work visa”: foreigner who come to China to work
 D visa – “Green card”: foreigner who want to be resident in China
 X visa – “Student long visa”: student/short term study/internship >6
months
 F visa – “Student short/Business visa”:
visitor/business/science&technology
exchange/short term study/internship <6 months
 L visa: “Tourist visa”: foreigner who wants to travel, family visiting or
other private business, group visa >9 foreigners
 G visa – “Transit visa”: foreigner who only pass China
 C visa – “Transport visa”: air & navy staff, intern. train conductors,
sailors
 J-1 visa – “Press resident visa”: press reporters resident in China
 J-2 visa – “Press temp visa”: temporary foreigner reporters
Source: Website Chinese central government :
http://www.gov.cn/banshi/2005-05/26/content_1300.htm

95. Education
• Going to China to study
– Good way to know China is something for you without taking too
many risks
– Check with your university or another Belgian university
possibilities & conditions
• Going to China to work
– Check if your educational background is sufficient ！
– To work:
• Good health
• Min. Bachelor degree
• Very good knowledge of English and basic Chinese (spoken)

96. Experience
• Not necessary if you go as a student
• If you want to work:
– Experience in studying/working in an English-
speaking country! UK,IRL,US,Can,Aus,NZ
– Chinese prefer native speakers or people
studied/worked in an English-speaking country!
– Relevant work experience in your/another
country

97. Guanxi (Networking)
Meeting Chinese students & business people
in Belgium
• Events organized by Belgian universities
E.g.: Chinese New Year’s parties, job fairs,
…
• B-2-B meetings organized by:
Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce,
FIT,
VOKA, UNIZO, Vlamingen in de Wereld,…

98. Evaluation system for foreign
expert (if you don’t have guanxi)
http://evaluation.safea.gov.cn/login.php
• Developed together with the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, People's
Republic China (PRC) and the Capital University of Economics and Business.
• Designed to carry out the recently promulgated Administrative Licensing Law of the
People's Republic of China.
• The Law is being instituted in order to regulate the issuance of permits for foreign
experts and to resolve current problems of introducing oral English teachers into the
nation's public education services.
• This system consists of three subsystems: resume, written test, and an online interview.
• The tests comprise a general personnel evaluation profile and a general knowledge test
on China and other current world topics.
• This system will automatically analyze these tests and generate an evaluation report.
• The results will help employers evaluate the candidate's basic information and his/her
abilities to become a successful professional worker in China.
• Put in your id password code, you have to register for it

100. How to find a job in China?
 Guanxi
 Job sites www.chinahr.com zhaopin.com
www.51job.com
 Job fairs
 Search & selection companies, e.g.
Randstad,…

101. Social security in China
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012-09/10/content_15747940.htm
120,000 expats covered by Chinese social insurance
• More than 120,000 foreigners have subscribed to China's social
security system so far, said Hu Xiaoyi, China's vice-minister of HR and
social security
• Hu said that local governments have been actively promoting the work
since China offered to cover foreign employees by its social safety net
last year.
• The social insurance scheme that took effect October 15 2011 allows
foreigners with work permits in China to receive the same retirement,
unemployment, medical, work injury and maternity benefits as Chinese
citizens.
• The ministry has maintained communication with foreign organizations
and enterprises in China to solve problems in the detailed
implementation of the scheme, he said.
• The ministry is also negotiating with 13 countries and regions on
bilateral social insurance agreements, Hu added.

102. Your contract
Rules & regulations
 Difference:
Foreign/Mixed/Chinese
 Company or official institution
 Do your homework, don’t sign before you
understand your contract 100%
 Don’t hesitate to ask English copy you understand!
 Ask questions before signing
 Need thrustworty Chinese person

103. What you need
 Min. Bachelor degree
 Very good knowledge of English
 Very good knowledge of Chinese culture
 Practical knowledge of Chinese
 A thrusthworty Chinese person

104. Tips & tricks
What you need
 business cards (Chinese/Western name and contact details),
 Presents: pure Belgian chocolate, small bottle of Belgian alcoholic
drinks (fruit beer), souvenirs (Manneke Pis, Atomium, photo book,…)
 Real Chinese friends : need liable interpreter/translator
 Flexibility: Take your time in negotiating a contract, keep searching for
a job unless you both agree and sign the contract
 Chinese never say “no”
Yes can mean yes but also maybe or no!
Don’t wait for a reply but contact others instead…
 Good knowledge of English + knowledge of elementary Chinese is
much appreciated
 Read between the lines, Chinese will not say anything without reason
 Remember: face, respect
 Contract is based on thrust not written, contents never fixed, try to
solve via relations and talk a lot phone/face to face rather than e-mail
 Clothing: you are what you dress
 Always clean your shoes! Comb your hair! Shave!
 Be on time! Best 10 minutes earlier.
If you are going to be too late (eg traffic jam): call person and explain
raison!

105. Q&A
Questions & Answers

106. Useful info 1
Belgian websites
Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce
http://www.flanders-china.be/
Flanders Investment & Trade http://www.fitagency.be/
Unizo www.unizo.be/internationaal
Vlamingen in de wereld www.viw.be
Embassy of Belgium in Beijing
6 San Li Tun Lu I Beijing 100600 I PR China
Tel: (+86 10) 6532 1736 I Fax: (+86 10) 6532 5097
www.diplomatie.be/beijing I www.belgiuminchina.com

107. Useful info 2
Chinese websites
Chinese government http://www.gov.cn
Foreign affairs website http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/default.shtml
Ministry of Commerce of the PRC: www.mofcom.gov.cn
People’s government of Liaoning province: www.ln.gov.cn
Dept. of Education of Liaoning province: www.lnein.gov.cn
Dept. of Labour & Social Security of Liaoning province: www.ld.ln.gov.cn
Tourism Administration of Liaoning province: www.lntour.gov.cn
People’s government of Shenyang city: www.shenyang.gov.cn
Shenyang International Industrial Park www.sysh.gov.cn
Shenyang-EU Economic Development Zone www.syeu.gov.cn
People’s government of Anshan city: www.anshan.gov.cn
People’s government of Dalian city: www.dl.gov.cn
China National Tourism Administration www.cnta.com
China Daily newspaper: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn

108. Useful info 3
 De China toolkit “Stoemp met stokjes”
Handleiding voor de Vlaamse ondernemer die zaken wil
doen in China, 2006
 Doing business in Liaoning province of China: MOFCOM
China, 2006
 China business handbook
 China Daily: 18/9/2009, 1/6/2011, 29/6/2011, 9/7/2012
 Mainland China: an introductory guide for expatriates:
Deloitte, 2005
 China voor Vlamingen: Jan Van Meenen, Lannoo, 2007
 De Smurfen : Peyo (slide 111)

109. My contact info…
Kris Liebaut (Mr.)
Foreign Expert
Shenyang Aerospace University
E-mail: kris.sau@hotmail.com