China should recruit overseas talent to work as civil servants in departments where foreign expertise could help, according to a proposal made by a member of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

"The introduction of senior foreign administration staff (into public service) is conducive to importing (advanced) foreign administrative expertise and methods as well as the more scientific mechanisms," said Chen Lijun, vice-president of Zhejiang Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese and a CPPCC member. Chen proposed the government to open civil servants positions to foreign talent, according to Southern Metropolis.

The applicable departments are those responsible for managing social services where foreign countries are more experienced and more advanced, like the development of social security system and urban planning, according to Chen who suggested the jobs may be first open to overseas Chinese and then extended to foreigners who hold Chinese nationality.

The current Chinese law mandates that all civil servants must be of Chinese nationality.

Chen's proposal incurred mixed response on the Internet. Some say it will intensify the already fierce competition in the Chinese job market, while others approve of it and add that more supportive policies are needed.