Pingtan shall learn from advanced foreign education institutions and lead the nation by building an international education base, said Shi Huamin, a CPPCC member of the Fujian Provincial Committee, at the province's CPPCC conference recently.

Shi noted that talented professionals are valuable assets for development. Many Western education institutions are superior to their Chinese counterparts in terms of teaching systems and education methods. More and more parents choose to send their children overseas for further studies. However, the cost is high, and it is harder to attract talent to stay in China.

An international education base is expected to solve the problem. In order to begin, the potential base needs a supportive environment and strong financial resources.

After analyzing Pingtan's development plan, Shi sees that Pingtan's future focus is on high-technology, service, marine and tourism industries. He believes the city is bound to become another economic hotspot in Fujian province.

"A full-fledged international education base could not only provide quality human resources for Pingtan and other cities across the country," Shi added, "but also serve as an engine for economic growth."

Edited by Chen Zhilin and Michael Thai