A senior Chinese official on Monday addressed the 11th Conference on International Exchange of Professionals and revealed that nearly 530,000 foreign experts were working in China in 2011.

In contrast, the annual count stood at about 10,000 in the late 1970s, when China launched its reform and opening-up, said Zhang Jianguo, director of the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, or SAFEA, at the conference's opening ceremony.

These imported talents contributed to China's modernization, especially in cutting-edge science and technology projects, according to Zhang.

He also pledged to invite more foreign talents to China and send more Chinese professionals to train overseas in order to promote mutual benefit and common prosperity.

The SAFEA introduced a national recruitment project in 2011 to secure the services of 500 to 1,000 high-caliber foreign experts in 10 years for key industries.

Under the project, each of the selected overseas professionals will be offered a subsidy of 1 million yuan ($160,300) to cover their living expenses.

Another subsidy of 3 to 5 million yuan will be offered for scientific research, according to previous documents released by the SAFEA.

A total of 94 foreign experts have been enrolled in the project, according to a statement issued at the ceremony.

And during to the Excellent contribution they made to china, some cities held an awards ceremony for excellent foreign experts and foreign-funded enterprises.

Li Wancai, mayor of Dalian, attended the ceremony and delivered a speech. Government leaders, foreign experts and representatives of foreign-funded enterprises met to discuss and seek more cooperation and development, Dalian Evening News reported.

Li Wancai said Dalian will continue to persist using an innovation-driven strategy. The city will highlight and support cooperative innovation, paying attention to attract overseas talent and support foreign enterprises. The city will also provide more space for foreign experts and foreign enterprises in 2013. Li also hoped that foreign experts and foreign companies will help and support the construction and development of Dalian as always and make contributions to the city's urbanization.

In the ceremony, the Dalian government awarded 25 foreign experts and excellent foreign-funded enterprises in Dalian.